KOEHLEKS 
WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

OF  DISCIPLINARY 
PHYSICAL  TRAINING 


)l.  H  J.KOEHLEO.SA. 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

OF 

DISCIPLINARY    PHYSICAL   TRAINING 


KOEHLER'S 
WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

OF 

DISCIPLINARY  PHYSICAL  TRAINING 

BY 

LIEUT.  COL.  H.  J.  KOEHLER,  U.S.A. 

Director  of  Military  Gymnastics,  Swordsmanship,  etc.,  United  States 

Military  Academy;    Instructor  at   United  States  Training 

Camps  and  Cantonments,  1917  and  1918;  Instructor 

at  Business  Men's  and  Militia  Camps, 

1915  and  1916 

WITH  A  FOREWORD  BY 

NEWTON   D.  BAKER 

SECRETARY  OF  WAR 


NEW  YORK 

E.  P.  DUTTON  &  COMPANY 

1919 


COPYRIGHT,  1919* 
BY  E.  P,  DUTTON  &  COMPANY 

All  Rights  Reserved 


Printed  In  the  United  States  of  America 


INTRODUCTION 

This  manual  is  based  upon  the  experience 
gathered  in  this  work  at  the  United  States  Mili- 
tary Academy  during  a  period  extending  over  more 
than  a  generation,  and  upon  the  direct  personal 
application  of  the  results  of  this  experience  to 
approximately  200,000  men  in  our  new  Army, 
37,000  of  whom  were  aspirants  for  commissions. 

In  general,  the  manual  is  a  revision  of  Special 
Regulations,  No.  23,  Field  Training  of  the  Soldier, 
a  syllabus  prepared  by  the  author,  and  published 
by  the  War  Department,  by  the  direction  of  the 
Secretary  of  War,  making  it  mandatory  upon  all 
to  carry  out  this  work  in  the  service  in  accordance 
with  these  special  regulations. 

The  reason  for  its  publication  at  the  present 
time  is  to  meet  the  frequent  demands  made  by 
those,  in  and  out  of  the  service,  who  having  had  a 
practical  personal  experience  with  this  method,  and 
who,  realizing  the  present  importance  of  physical 
training  to  our  people  in  general,  were  kind  enough 
to  urge  its  publication  in  order  that  this  method  and 
any  merits  it  may  possess  might  become  as  acces- 
sible and  wide-spread  as  possible. 

To  facilitate  its  application  the  subject  has  there- 
fore been  treated  as  simply  and  comprehensively, 
and  with  as  much  detail  as  possible,  so  that  drill 
instructors  of  even  limited  experience,  and  the  inter- 


388284 


vi  INTRODUCTION 

ested  layman  may  follow  it  intelligently  and  be 
able  to  carry  out  its  intent  successfully.  Wherever 
possible  technical  terms  and  professional  terminology 
have  been  translated  into  every-day  English. 

Though  the  manual  is  intended  primarily  for  the 
instruction  of  recruits  in  the  service,  civilians  who 
expect  to  be  inducted  into  the  service,  and  those 
who  do  not  but  who  are  desirous  to  add  to  their 
general  efficiency,  will  find  it  to  their  advantage 
to  become  thoroughly  proficient  in  what  it  pre- 
scribes. By  doing  so  select  men  will  not  only  be 
physically  fit  and  qualified  to  successfully  meet  the 
demands  made  upon  them  when  they  enter  the  ser- 
vice, but  prepared  to  take  advantage  of  any  oppor- 
tunity for  early  advancement  that  may  present  it- 
self. 

The  manual  will  also  adapt  itself  readily  to  the 
needs  of  schools,  colleges  and  other  institutions  in 
which  the  object  of  bodily  training  is  disciplinary 
and  educational  and  not  only  physical. 


CONTENTS 

SECTION  PAGE 

I    GENERAL  OBJECT i 

Efficiency  of  military  establishments — De- 
mands of  modern  warfare — Importance  of 
physical  training — Standard  set  by  military 
requirements — Health  and  organic  vigor  de- 
termining factors — Development  of  recupera- 
tive and  resistive  powers — Health,  strength 
and  vigor  a  means — Discipline  of  the  mass — 
Discipline  to  be  voluntary — Definition  of  dis- 
cipline— Relation  between  discipline  and  phys- 
ical training — Summary  of  objects  to  be  at- 
tained. 

II    GENERAL    SCOPE 7 

Scope  of  field  physical  training — Setting-up 
exercises — Conditioning  and  restorative  exer- 
cises— Rifle  exercises — Bayonet  training — 
Vaulting  and  obstacles — Athletic  contests 
and  games. 

Ill    METHODS 10 

The  employment  of  various  forms  of  training 
— Condition  and  aptitude  of  men — Classifica- 
tion of  the  men — Time  devoted  to  training — 
The  morning  period — The  afternoon  period — 
The  arrangement  of  instruction  material — 
The  disciplinary  exercises — The  setting-up 
exercises — Marching — Jumping — Double  tim- 
ing— Endurance  runs — Contests — Group  con- 
tests, games,  etc. — Endurance  course, 
vii 


viii  CONTENTS 

SECTION  PAGE 

IV    INSTRUCTORS 21 

Officers  in  charge  of  instruction — Number  to 
be  instructed  at  one  time — Drills  to  be  attrac- 
tive— The  function  of  every  military  drill — 
Instructors  to  be  an  inspiration — Exercise  the 
means,  not  the  end — Exercising  to  the  point 
of  exhaustion — Uniform  to  be  worn — After 
reveille  drills — Instructors  to  prepare  lessons 
— Number  of  times  an  exercise  should  be  re- 
peated— Explanations,  when  not  to  make 
them — Frequency  of  rests. 

V    COMMANDS 27 

The  importance  of  commands — Instructors 
to  cultivate  ability  to  command — Power  and 
control  exercises — Articulation,  enunciation 
and  diction — Division  of  commands — Com- 
mands of  continuance — Commands  for  exer- 
cises performed  statically — Commands  for 
continued  exercises — Interval  between  com- 
mands. 

VI    MASS  COMMANDS 34 

Introduction  of  mass  commands — Method  of 
procedure — Commands  for  setting-up  exer- 
cises— Commands  for  military  movements. 

VII    POSITIONS  AND  FORMATIONS      ...      42 

The  position  of  attention — The  position  of  at 
ease  and  rest — Formations. 

VIII    STARTING  POSITIONS 53 

Starting  positions — Disciplinary  exercises, 
facings  and  salute. 


CONTENTS  ix 

SECTION  PAGE 

IX    SETTING-UP  EXERCISES  FOR  RECRUITS 

AND  THE  TRAINED  SOLDIER   ...       65 

What  the  course  comprises — Number  of 
times  an  exercise  should  be  performed — Pro- 
gressive difficulty  and  how  obtained — Ter- 
minology— Respiration  and  its  relation  to  ex- 
ercise— Lessons. 

X    TRAINING  OF  THE  TRAINED  SOLDIER    148 

How  this  course  differs  from  the  recruit 
course — Composition  of  lessons — Instructors 
to  make  course  attractive — Trained  soldiers 
condition  course — Recreational  activities — 
Example  lessons. 

XI    RIFLE  EXERCISES 162 

Object  of  rifle  exercises — Starting  position — 
Exercises. 

XII    CORRECTIVE  EXERCISES 174 

Minor  defects  remedied  by  regular  training — 
Cooperation  with  instructor  necessary — 
Drooping  head — Round  and  stooped  shoul- 
ders— Weak  back — Weak  abdominal  muscles 
— To  increase  depth  and  width  of  chest — Flat 
feet. 

XIII    CONTESTS  AND  GAMES 178 

The  object  of  these  contests — Individual  con- 
tests— Group  contests  and  games. 


FOREWORD 

I  have  been  asked  to  write  a  word  of  introduc- 
tion to  the  West  Point  Manual  prepared  by  Lieu- 
tenant Colonel  H.  J.  Koehler,  Master  of  the  Sword 
and  Instructor  of  Military  Gymnastics  and  Phys- 
ical Culture  at  the  United  States  Military  Acad- 
emy at  West  Point. 

For  many  years  Colonel  Koehler  has  had  charge 
of  physical  education  at  the  Military  Academy  and 
those  who  have  attended  graduation  exercises  at 
West  Point  have  seen  the  finished  product  of  his 
system  in  those  wonderful,  tense  lines  of  alert, 
erect  young  men,  who  stand  like  statues  on  review, 
showing  the  human  body,  as  it  seems  to  me,  in  its 
greatest  perfection;  its  muscles  easy  and  strong, 
its  proportions  set  off  by  the  tight-fitting  uniform, 
with  new  elements  of  handsome  grace  born  of  cor- 
rect carriage  and  graceful  action.  One  exclaims 
involuntarily  when  he  sees  the  Corps  that  if  the 
physical  discipline  at  West  Point  had  only  an  aes- 
thetic value  it  would  be  quite  worth  while.  And 
I  doubt  if  anybody  is  able  to  move  about  the 
grounds  at  West  Point,  however  drooping  his  own 
figure  has  become  from  sedentary  habits  and  inat- 
tention to  physical  culture,  without  for  the  time 
being  walking  more  erectly,  giving  freer  expansion 
to  his  lungs  and  a  somewhat  more  elastic  spring 
to  his  step. 


xii  FOREWORD 

But  the  advantage  of  this  discipline  is  not  merely 
to  make  men  look  fit,  but  actually  to  make  them  be 
fit.  The  mind  inevitably  shapes  itself  with  the 
body  in  which  it  resides,  and  the  moral  equivalents 
come  with  these  physical  attributes;  men  whose 
systems  are  renewed  by  wholesome  physical  exer- 
tion, who  are  well  and  strong,  whose  heads  are  set 
square  on  erect  shoulders,  look  their  fellow-men 
straight  in  the  eyes  and  both  show  and  expect  moral 
erectness  as  the  normal  attitude. 

When  America  went  into  the  European  war 
we  summoned  from  civil  life  thousands  of  young 
men  to  enter  officers'  training  camps.  Many  of 
them  had  had  college  athletic  experience,  all  of 
them  were  educated,  and  some  of  them  had  had 
military  training  either  at  Plattsburg  or  as  a  part 
of  their  life  at  school  or  college.  Colonel  Koehler 
became  an  instructor  in  these  training  camps, 
bringing  with  him  from  West  Point  his  method 
formed  by  years  of  experience,  and  adapted  to  the 
special  purpose  of  fitting  men  rapidly  for  military 
service.  Those  who  had  an  opportunity  to  see  the 
effect  of  his  instruction  were  amazed  at  the  rapid- 
ity with  which  the  sense  of  responsibility  and  the 
authoritative  personality  which  must  be  back  of 
effective  command  were  created,  and  if  we  could 
follow  Colonel  Koehler's  graduates,  either  from 
the  Military  Academy  or  from  these  training 
camps,  to  the  battle  fields  of  France  we  would  find 
an  impressive  story  of  physical  and  moral  adequacy 
which  made  these  young  officers  themselves  able 
to  endure  the  hardships  of  modern  war  and  also 
able  with  the  democracy  of  sympathy  which  char- 


FOREWORD  xiii 

acterizes  life  in  America,  to  lead  and  inspire  train- 
ing in  their  men  which  made  them  fit  for  their 
part  in  these  fiery  trials. 

The  appearance  of  Colonel  Koehler's  manual 
will,  there  lore,  make  available  to  a  large  number 
of  people  the  principles  of  a  system  which  is  the 
product  of  experience,  and  which  has  stood  the 
test  under  critical  conditions,  and  whatever  form 
our  future  training  of  boys  and  young  men  in  this 
country  may  take  it  is  greatly  to  be  hoped  that  we 
will  not  again  fall  into  the  habit  of  slighting  the 
body  as  we  were  on  the  point  of  doing  when  the 
war  forced  us  to  realize  its  importance  as  the  basis 
of  our  national  strength. 

The  great  lesson  of  this  war,  of  course,  is  the 
sanctity  of  the  moral  foundations  of  civilization 
for  which  the  war  itself  was  fought;  but  as  we 
have  prepared  and  fought  a  great  many  incidental 
revelations  have  come  to  us,  and  among  them  few 
are  more  important  than  what  we  have  learned 
about  young  men  associated  in  a  great  cause,  in  a 
wholesome  environment,  and  given  an  opportunity 
to  develop  their  best  talents  under  inspiring  cir- 
cumstances; we  have  learned  that  the  natural  ten- 
dency of  young  men  is  up  and  not  down,  that  young 
men  in  Armies  prefer  to  lead  upright  and  noble 
lives  and  that  the  spontaneous  emotions  of  youth 
are  generous  and  brave.  I  have  myself  become 
so  convinced  of  this  that  if  I  were  told  of  an 
Army  that  it  oppressed  the  weak  and  pillaged  and 
destroyed  the  homes  of  the  defenseless,  I  would 
immediately  assume  that  the  responsibility  lay  with 
those  in  the  higher  commands;  perhaps  not  nee- 


xiv  FOREWORD 

essarily  that  they  ordered  or  authorized  the  acts, 
but  that  they  at  least  had  not  given  the  natural 
man  in  the  ranks  a  free  opportunity  to  develop. 

The  soldierly  virtues  which  our  men  have  shown 
are,  of  course,  not  all  due  to  their  physical  train- 
ing; their  sound  health  does  not  rest  entirely  upon 
the  exercises  which  individuals  have  taken,  but  as 
a  part  of  the  whole  system  the  physical  training 
of  the  individual  and  the  mass  is  very  important, 
and  those  who  are  responsible  for  our  educational 
processes  in  the  future  cannot  wisely  overlook  the 
experience  of  our  Army  in  this  regard,  for  a  round 
education  must  hereafter  have  its  professorships 
and  some  such  intelligent  plan  for  the  culture  of 
of  the  mind,  and  its  professorships  of  the  body, 
the  body  as  that  of  Colonel  Koehler  will  be  needed 
to  replace  the  aimless  and  casual  exertions  of  unin- 
structed  playgrounds  and  unled  games.  Colonel 
Koehler's  manual  is,  of  course,  primarily  adapted 
to  the  making  of  soldiers,  but  it  can  be  easily  used 
for  those  who  may  never  see  military  service,  and 
its  greatest  value  lies  in  the  fact  that  it  is  orderly 
and  systematic,  and  rests  upon  principles  apart 
from  the  mere  excitement  of  the  moment  which 
the  casual  game  gives  to  the  player. 

After  all  how  can  one  plead  too  strongly  for 
this  cause?  What  can  be  more  obviously  advan- 
tageous to  us  as  a  nation  than  that  our  youths 
should  be  straight  and  strong,  that  we  should  learn 
to  carry  our  heads  erect,  that  we  should  stand 
squarely  on  our  feet,  and  walk  with  a  firm  and 
confident  tread,  that  we  should  learn  to  associate 
ourselves  with  others  until  we  become  effective  in 


FOREWORD  xv 

mass  action,  coordinating  our  movements  and 
subordinating  our  wills  to  the  voice  of  rightful 
authority  when  the  question  is  the  common  good? 
Does  it  not  go  without  saying  that  we  will  be  the 
better  in  every  way  for  being  a  strong  and  vigor- 
ous people?  Incidentally,  we  will  be  more  compe- 
tent commercially,  more  happy  spiritually,  braver 
for  the  tasks  that  still  lie  before  us  if  our  bodies 
are  made  too  handsome  to  entertain  an  unhand- 
some spirit. 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

OF 

DISCIPLINARY   PHYSICAL   TRAINING 


DISCIPLINARY  PHYSICAL 
TRAINING 

SECTION  I 
GENERAL  OBJECT 

PARAGRAPH 

Efficiency  of  military  establishments  I 

The  demands  of  modern  warfare       .         .        .  2-3 

Importance  of  physical  training  ....  4-6 

Standard  set  by  military  requirements       .         .  7-8 

Health  and  organic  vigor  determining  factors  .  9 
Development    of    recuperative    and    resistive 

powers 10 

Health,  strength  and  vigor  a  means  .         .        .11 

Discipline   of   the   mass 12 

Discipline  to  be  voluntary 13 

Definition  of  discipline 14 

Relation  between  discipline  and  physical  train- 
ing .        .        .                 .                 .        .        .  .15 

Summary  of  objects  to  be  attained  16 

1.  Efficiency    of    Military     Establishments. 
That  the  efficiency  of  a  military  establishment  is 
in  direct  ratio  to  the  physical  fitness  and  aptitude 
of  its  individual  units  has  never  been  demonstrated 
as  conclusively  as  it  has  during  the  present  war. 

2.  The  Demands  of  Modern  Warfare.    The 
demands  made  upon  those  engaged  in  this  titanic 
struggle  are  so  far  in  excess  of  what  was  thought 

i 


2  KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

to  be  the  limit  of  human  endurance,  judged  by  a 
before-the-war  standard,  that  it  is  impossible  to 
even  conjecture  now  what  that  limit  actually  is. 

3.  Despite  the  fact  that  the  military  profession 
has  not  hesitated  to  impress  almost  every  known 
science  into  its  service,  in  an  effort  to  successfully 
overcome  man's  endurance,  these  efforts  have  proved 
futile  up  to  the  present  time,  as  the  trained  man 
has  demonstrated  his  ability  to  hold  his  own  against 
these  almost  unbelievable  odds,  and  in  the  end  it  will 
be  discovered  that  it  is  the  carefully  trained  and 
conditioned  man  who  alone  can  make  victory  pos- 
sible. 

4.  Importance  of  Physical  Training.     With 
these  facts  before  us  it  follows  logically  that  the 
physical  training,  development  and  conditioning  of 
those  recruited  for  the  military  service  must  be  the 
first  and  most  vital  concern  of  a  nation  at  war. 

5.  Training  men  physically  for  offensive  and 
defensive  purposes  is  as  old  as  warfare  itself  and 
from  the  very  beginning  up  to  the  present  time  it 
alone  has  remained  the  one  constant  and  unvary- 
ing factor  in  the  education  of  the  soldier,  upon 
which,  more  than  upon  all  other  components  of  this 
education  combined,  success  has  depended. 

6.  From  the  military  point  of  view  the  indi- 
vidual can  be  considered  only  with  reference  to  the 
requirements  of  the  service,  and  these  demands  de- 
termine the  nature  and  extent  of  his  training.     In 
other  words,  in  the  final  analysis,  the  recruit  can 
not  be  considered  a  dependable  and  effective  unit 
until  he  succeeds  in  measuring  up  to  the  standard 
of  these  requirements. 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL  3 

7.  Standard  Set  by  Military  Requirements. 
Since  this  standard  so  far  exceeds  the  standard  re- 
quired of  men  in  the  ordinary  walks  of  life,  with 
respect  to  severity,  variety  and  general  intensive- 
ness  of  its  demands,  it  is  necessary  that  the  soldier 
possess  more  than  the  average  amount  of  organic 
vigor,  muscular  and  nervous  strength  and  endur- 
ance.   Aside  from  these  it  is  also  necessary  that  the 
power  of  resistance  to  disease,  somatic  vigor,  in- 
herent in  every  individual,  in  a  greater  or  lesser 
degree,  be  fully  developed  in  order  that  he  may 
successfully  withstand  the  hardships  of  field  service 
without  diminishing  his  effectiveness. 

8.  The  Object  of  Military  Physical  Training. 
The  object,  therefore,  that  a  course  in  military  physi- 
cal training  must  seek  to  attain  is  the  development 
of  every  individual's  physical  attributes  to  the  full- 
est extent  of  their  possibilities,  in  order  to  enable 
him  to  enter  upon  the  duties  his  profession  imposes 
upon  him  with  the  greatest  confidence  in  his  ability 
to  discharge  these   duties  successfully  under   any 
and  all  circumstances  and  conditions. 

9.  Health  and  Organic  Vigor  the  Determin- 
ing Factors.     Since  the  nature  and  extent  of  all 
physical   training   is   determined   by  the    state  of 
health  of  the  participants,  every  rational  course  in 
such  training,  military  or  otherwise,  must  have  the 
development  of  the  human  organism  in  its  entirety 
for  its  primary  object. 

This  can  only  be  accomplished  if  the  means  em- 
ployed will  give  to  each  organ  that  which  will  aid 
it  in  its  development,  assist  it  in  the  discharge  of 
its  peculiar  functions  and  establish  a  coordinated, 


4  KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

organic  balance  between  the  organs  upon  which 
the  condition  of  perfect  health  depends. 

10.  Development  of  Recuperative  and  Re- 
sistive Powers.     To  insure  the  maintenance  of  this 
balance  the  training  must  endeavor  to  develop  the 
recuperative  and  resistive  powers  of  the  vital  or- 
gans in  such  a  degree  that  each  has  a  surplus  of 
energy  at  its  disposal  against  which  it  may  draw  in 
its  own  favor  or  in  favor  of  the  others  when  the 
exigency  for  such  compensation  presents  itself. 

11.  Health,   Strength  and  Vigor  a  Means. 
Though  robust  health,  strength  and  organic  vigor, 
etc.,  are  the  basis  and  the  determining  factors  in  the 
training  of  soldiers,  they  are,  from  a  military  point 
of  view,  but  a  means,  and  will  avail  the  soldier  but 
little  to  attain  the  other  objects  of  his  training  until 
he  has  learned  to  carefully  conserve  the  former  and 
use  the  latter  to  the  best  advantage  to  himself  and 
to  the  mass  of  which  he  is  a  member.     In  other 
words,  the  possession  of  these  means  makes  it  pos- 
sible for  him  to  develop  the  mechanical  require- 
ments of  his  profession,  efficiency  in  which  in  turn 
develops  self-reliance,  confidence,  courage  and  self- 
control  or  personal  discipline. 

12.  Discipline  of  the   Mass.     It  is  this  dis- 
cipline of  the  individual  that  determines  the  dis- 
cipline of  the  mass,  which  is  brought  about  by  the 
welding  together  of  the  sum  of  these  personal  at- 
tributes, and  which,  plus  self-control  and  the  mutual 
confidence   they  engender  between  the  individual 
units,  makes  for  corps  spirit  that  inspires  organiza- 
tions to  dare  because  of  the  confidence  of  the  ability 
to  do. 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL  5 

13.  Discipline  to  Be  Voluntary  and  Intelli- 
gent.    In  the  pursuit  of  discipline  superiors  should 
be  guided  by  the  rule  of  reason  rather  than  by  the 
authority  vested  in  them  by  the  commission  they 
hold.  iThe  American  officer  must  be  essentially  a 
leader,  but  only  he  will  be  a  successful  leader  who, 
in  his  efforts  to  instill  the  spirit  of  discipline  in  his 
men,  succeeds  in  impressing  upon  them  that  dis- 
cipline, true  discipline,  the  only  kind  a  sovereign 
people  should  ever  be  subjected  to,  is  one  that  ap- 
peals to  the  head  and  the  heart  even  more  than  it 
does  to  the  handsj 

This  appeal  tolne  intelligence  and  the  finer  sen- 
sibilities of  the  men,  particularly  of  the  men  com- 
posing a  selected  army,  can  be  counted  upon  to 
awaken  in  them  a  sense  of  their  responsibilities, 
and  by  doing  so  it  will  strengthen  an  officer's  control 
immeasurably,  no  matter  how  strict  or  exacting  he 
may  be,  so  long  as  he  does  not  lose  the  sense  of  the 
proportion  of  justice  and  remains  humane. 

14.  Definition  of  Discipline.     Such  discipline 
may  therefore  be  defined  as  the  voluntary,  intelli- 
gent,  coordinated   and   cheerful    subordination   of 
every   individual   in  an   equal   degree   with   every 
other  individual  of  the  mass  to  which  he  belongs, 
and  of  which  he  is  an  interdependent  and  not  an 
independent  unit,  through  which  the  object  of  the 
mass  can  alone  be  attained. 

15.  Relation     Existing     Between     Physical 
Training  and  Discipline.     The  intimate  relation- 
ship that  exists  between  physical  training  and  dis- 
cipline is  not  appreciated  as  it  should  be  even  by 
many  in  the  military  profession.    To  these,  physical 


6  KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

training  means  physical  effort  with  little  or  no 
bearing  upon  discipline. 

The  experience  of  the  author,  stretching  over  a 
lifetime  at  the  Academy,  but  particularly  that 
gained  in  training  several  hundred  thousand  men, 
directly  and  indirectly,  in  which  men  of  every  walk 
of  life,  in  every  part  of  our  country  were  involved, 
proved  conclusively  that  the  disciplinary  value  of 
military  physical  training  equaled,  if  it  did  not  sur- 
pass, its  purely  physiological  value. 

In  fact,  it  proved  itself,  when  applied  to  the 
great  army  precisely  as  it  has  proved  itself  here  at 
the  Academy,  to  be  the  best  and  most  efficacious 
means  in  the  development  of  discipline,  in  the  in- 
dividual and  in  the  mass,  at  the  disposal  of  those  in 
charge  of  recruit  instruction. 

1 6.  Summary  of  Objects  to  Be  Attained 
Through  This  Training.  Summarized  briefly  the 
objects  this  training  must  seek  to  attain  are : 

(a)  The  development  of  general  health  and  vigor  and 
how  to  conserve  them. 

(b)  The  development  of  muscular  strength,  energy,  en- 
durance,  etc.,   and   how   to   convert   these   most   advan- 
tageously into  the  mechanical  requirements  of  the  pro- 
fession. 

(c)  The   development   of  the   discipline   of   the   indi- 
vidual and  of  the  mass. 

(d)  The  development  of  self-reliance,  confidence  and 
courage. 

(e)  The  development  of  smartness,  enthusiasm,  alert- 
ness and  precision,  and  personal  and  organization  pride. 


SECTION  II 
GENERAL  SCOPE 

PARAGRAPH 

The  scope  of  field  physical  training  .         .        .17 

Setting-up    exercises 18 

Conditioning  and   restorative   exercises       .        .     19 

Rifle   exercises 20 

Bayonet  training 21 

Vaulting  and  obstacles 22 

Athletic  contests  and  games          .        .        .        .23 

17.  The  Scope  of  Field  Physical  Training  is 
necessarily  limited  to  those  activities  that  can  be 
indulged  in  without  the  aid  of  any  appliances,  or 
with  the  aid  of  such  as  may  be  improvised,  and, 
finally,  with  such  as  the  equipment  of  the  soldier 
provides. 

These  activities  embrace : 

(a)  Setting-up  exercises 

(b)  Marching   and   exercises   in   marching 

(c)  Double  timing  and  exercises  in  double  timing. 

(d)  Jumping 

(e)  Rifle  exercises 

(f)  Bayonet  training 

(g)  Vaulting  exercises   and   overcoming  obstacles 
(h)  Athletic  games  and  contests 

1 8.  Setting-up  Exercises.     These  exercises  are 
to  be  considered  the  basis  for  all  other  activities. 


8  KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

Their  importance  can  not  be  overestimated,  as  by 
means  of  them  alone  it  is  possible  to  effect  an  all- 
around  development  impossible  by  any  other  means, 
while  their  disciplinary  value  is  at  least  as  great  as 
their  physical  value. 

In  the  prescribed  course  only  those  exercises  have 
been  included  whose  value  from  a  physiological  and 
military  point  of  view  is  unquestioned. 

19.  Conditioning  and  Restorative  Exercises. 
Following  the  setting-up  exercises  and  supplemen- 
tary to  them,  the  lessons  should  include  such  general 
conditioning  exercises  as  marching  and  exercises  in 
marching,  double  timing  and  exercises  in  double 
timing,  jumping,  and  finally  the  restorative  or  con- 
cluding  exercises,   which  are  composed  of  move- 
ments that  tend  to  diminish  the  heart  action,  regu- 
late respiration,  and  restore  normal  condition. 

20.  Rifle  Exercises.     The  purpose  of  these  is 
to  develop  handiness  in  the  wielding  of  the  piece 
and  accustoming  the  men  to  its  weight.     As  the 
weight  is  considerable,  especially  to  the  raw  recruit, 
it  is  recommended  that  instructors  be  reasonable  in 
the  employment  of  these  exercises.     It  is  recom- 
mended that  only  those  prescribed  in  this  manual 
be  used. 

21.  Bayonet  Training.     Aside  from  its  mili- 
tary importance,  bayonet  training  is  a  most  valu- 
able adjunct  to  the  physical  training  course,  as  it 
calls  into  action  practically  every  muscle  of  the 
body,  and  makes  for  alertness,  quickness  of  per- 
ception, decision,  aggressiveness  and  confidence. 

It  is  now  given  such  prominence  in  the  training 
of  the  men  that  it  has  been  made  a  distinct  and 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL  9 

separate  course,  hence  it  is  not  included  in  this 
manual. 

22.  Vaulting   and    Obstacles.     Vaulting   and 
overcoming  obstacles  are  exercises  of  application 
and  should  be  practiced  upon  such  appliances  as 
vaulting  bars,  walls,   fences  and  ditches  or  upon 
natural  or  improvised  obstacles. 

23.  Athletics,   Contests  and   Games.     These 
should  be  considered  recreational  and  only  those  ac- 
tivities should  be  indulged  in  in  which  it  is  possible 
to  employ  large  numbers  at  the  same  time.     It  is 
best  to  select  those  activities  in  which  the  element 
of  personal  contact  predominates. 


SECTION  III 
METHODS 

PARAGRAPH 

The  employment  of  various  forms  of  train- 
ing         24-25 

Condition  and  aptitude  of  men       ...  26 

Classification  of  the  men 27 

Time  devoted  to  the  training  ....  28 

The  morning  period 29-30 

The  afternoon  period 31 

The  arrangement  of  the  instruction  material  32 

The  disciplinary  exercises         ....  33 

The  setting-up  exercises 34-3$ 

Marching 39-48 

Jumping 49 

Double  timing 50-58 

Endurance  runs 59 

Contests 60-63 

Group  contests,  games  and  athletics       .        .  65 

Endurance  course 65-67 

24.  The  Employment  of  Various  Forms  of 
Training.  In  the  employment  of  the  various  forms 
of  military  physical  training  it  is  most  essential  that 
well  denned  methods  should  be  introduced  in  order 
that  the  objects  of  this  training  may  be  attained 
in  a  thorough,  systematic  and  uniform  manner. 

This  has  been  neglected  in  our  service  up  to  the 
present  time  and  so  long  as  this  training  is  not  co- 
ordinated and  all  are  not  compelled  to  follow  the 

10 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          11 

same  methods  we  shall  fail  to  obtain  the  results 
from  it  that  we  should. 

25.  In  planning  a  method  of  procedure  the  fol- 
lowing factors  must  be  considered : 

(a)  The  object  of  the  training 

(b)  The  scope 

(c)  The  condition  and  physical  aptitude  of  the  men 

(d)  The  time  devoted  to  it  and  its  division 

(e)  The  instruction  material  and  its  application 

The  object  and  scope  have  already  been  fully  dis- 
cussed. 

26.  The  Condition  and  Aptitude  of  the  Men. 
The  question  of  the  condition  and  aptitude  of  the 
men  is  a  very  important  one  and  should  always  de- 
termine the  nature  and  extent  of  the  task  expected 
of  them.     Never,  during  the  recruit  period,  should 
the  task  be  made  the  determining  factor.     This  is 
frequently  lost  sight  of  by  well-meaning  but  over- 
zealous  instructors,  who  by  confusing  quantity  with 
quality  always  succeed  in  defeating  the  very  pur- 
pose of  this  training. 

As  condition  and  aptitude  increase,  as  they  will 
if  the  application  of  the  work  has  been  rational  and 
progressive,  the  standard  of  the  severity  of  the  drill 
should  be  gradually  increased  until  all  are  able  to 
measure  up  to  the  standard  set  by  the  military  re- 
quirements. This  under  ordinary  conditions  will  re- 
quire several  months  of  training. 

27.  The  Men  to  Be  Divided  into  Two  Classes. 
The  men  should  be  divided  into  two  general  classes : 
the  recruit  and  the  trained  soldier  class.  No  man 
should  be  considered  a  trained  soldier  until  he  has 
served  at  least  three  months  in  the  recruit  class. 


12          KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

28.  The   Time    Devoted   to   This   Training. 
This  should  be  divided  into  two  daily  periods  each 
of  an  hour's  duration  for  recruits;  one  period  to  be 
held  in  the  morning  and  the  other  in  the  afternoon. 

29.  The  Morning  Period.     This  should  begin 
not  earlier  than  an  hour  or  an  hour  and  a  half  after 
breakfast.     At  no  time  should  these  drills  be  held 
immediately  after  or  before  a  meal;  to  do  so  is 
likely  to  affect  the   digestive  operation   seriously. 
The  practice  of  exercising  men  strenuously  imme- 
diately after  reveille  and  just  before  breakfast  is  a 
vicious  one  and  should  never  be  tolerated.    At  such 
a  time  digestion  is  of  more  importance  than  exer- 
cise. 

30.  The  morning  period  should  embrace  the  fol- 
lowing forms  of  exercise  in  the  order  named : 

(a)  Disciplinary  exercises,  two  minutes 

(b)  Setting-up  exercises,  twenty  minutes 

(c)  Marching  and  exercises  in  marching,  from  five  to 
eight  minutes 

(d)  Jumping  exercises,  from  five  to  eight  minutes 

(e)  Double  timing,  from  three  to  five  minutes 

(f)  Contests,  ten  minutes 

31.  The     Afternoon     Period.     This     period 
should  be  employed  in: 

(a)   Bayonet  training,  from  twenty  to  thirty  minutes 
fb)  Games  and  contests,  alternating  daily  with  con- 
ditioning exercises;  double  timing  to  develop  endurance; 
vaulting    and    overcoming    obstacles,     from    fifteen    to 
twenty  minutes 

(c)  Rifle  exercises,  ten  minutes 

32.  The  Arrangement  of  Instruction  Material. 
This  should  be  progressive,  every  lesson  being  com- 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          13 

plete  in  itself  with  respect  to  the  results  it  is  in- 
tended to  attain. 

33.  The  Disciplinary  Exercises.     These  em- 
brace the  starting  positions;  the  position  of  at  ease 
and  rest;  the  position  of  attention  and  the  facings. 

When  a  snappy  and  accurate  performance  of 
these  exercises  is  insisted  upon,  the  recruit's  mind 
is  concentrated  upon  the  work  to  follow. 

34.  The    Setting-up    Exercises.     These    em- 
brace exercises  for  all  parts  of  the  body;  arms, 
neck,  shoulders,  trunk  and  legs  are  employed  in  each 
lesson,  for  the  purpose  of  every  lesson  is  the  har- 
monious development  of  the  entire  body.    Thus  each 
lesson  embraces  the  following  exercises  arranged  in 
the  following  physiological  sequence : 

(1)  Introductory  arm  movement 

(2)  Leg  exercise 

(3)  Trunk  exercise,  turning 

(4)  Leg  or  foot  exercise 

(5)  Trunk  exercise,  dorsal    (bending  forward) 

(6)  Shoulder  exercise 

(7)  Trunk   exercise,   lateral    (bending   sideward) 

(8)  Arm  exercise 

(9)  Trunk  exercise,  abdominal  (bending  backward) 
(10)  Balancing  exercise 

(n)   Breathing  exercise 

This  sequence  should  be  adhered  to  in  general  in 
every  lesson. 

35.  All  exercises  must  be  performed  with  the 
greatest    accuracy,   precision   and*  smartness,    and 
proper  posture  must  constantly  be  insisted  upon. 

In  order  to  develop  an  intelligent  responsiveness, 


14         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

attention  should  be  called  to  the  object  of  each  exer- 
cise. 

36.  Each  movement  of  every  exercise  should 
first  be  performed  separately  at  a  command  that  is 
indicative  of  the  movement  required  and  the  various 
positions  should  be  held  momentarily  while  correc- 
tions are  made  before  moving  into  the  next  position. 

This  static  performance  insures  accuracy  and  pre- 
cision. After  repeating  an  exercise  in  this  manner 
several  times,  the  exercise  should  be  continued  in  a 
regular  cadence,  which,  however,  should  be  so  di- 
vided that  it  will  bring  out  the  full  physiological 
value  of  the  movements. 

37.  In  order  to  inculcate  rhythm  and  coordinated 
mass  movement  and  flexibility,  such  exercises  as 
lend  themselves  to  rhythmical  repetition  may  be  per- 
formed in  that  manner,  provided  it  does  not  detract 
from  their  physiological  value. 

38.  As  the  value  of  all  exercises  depends  upon 
the  manner  of  their  application  and  not  upon  the 
exercises  themselves,  the  cadence  must  be  made  to 
fit  the  exercise  and  not  the  exercise  the  cadence. 

39.  Marching   and   Exercises   in   Marching. 
The  object  of  these  exercises  is  the  development  of 
proper  posture,  poise  and  carriage  while  marching. 
The  exercises  taken  in  connection  with  marching 
are  intended  to  develop  control,  coordination,  sup- 
pleness and  endurance. 

40.  The  length  of  the  full  step  in  quick  time,  as 
prescribed  in  the  drill  regulations,  is  thirty  inches, 
measured  from  heel  to  heel,  and  the  cadence  is  120 
steps  per  minute. 

By  common  consent  this  has  been  changed  to  a 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          15 

step  twenty-eight  inches  long  and  to  a  cadence  of 
from  126  to  130  steps  per  minute. 

The  change  was  adopted  for  the  purpose  of 
"quickening"  the  men,  to  make  them  more  alert 
and  add  to  the  smartness  of  their  actions  and  ap- 
pearance. 

41.  In  marching  in  quick  time  the  head  and 
trunk  should  remain  precisely  as  they  are  while 
standing  at  attention.    As  the  left  foot  is  advanced 
the  right  forearm  is  swung  forward  and  inward, 
obliquely  across  the  body,  until  the  thumb,  palms 
being  turned  in,  reaches  a  point  about  the  height 
of  the  belt.     The  forearm  swing  ends  the  moment 
the  heel  strikes  the  ground,  when  the  forearm,  with 
muscles  relaxed,  is  allowed  to  swing  down  and  back 
until  the  thumb  is  about  a  breadth  of  the  hand  to  the 
rear  of  the  buttocks.    As  the  right  arm  swings  back 
the  left  arm  is  swung  forward  with  the  right  foot 
in  precisely  the  same  way. 

42.  In  order  to  avoid  any  rotation  about  the 
spine  and  to  avoid  any  shoulder  movement,   the 
upper  arms  are  never  allowed  to  pass  the  perpendicu- 
lar in  the  forward  swing. 

43.  The  legs  must  be  fully  extended  as  they 
are  carried  forward  but  all  jarring  of  the  body  must 
be  avoided  when  the  heels  are  brought  in  contact 
with  the  ground.     When  the  heel  is  planted  the 
weight  of  the  body  is  rolled  forward  to  the  toes 
from  which  the  body  is  thrust  forward. 

44.  The  feet  should  remain  parallel  when  march- 
ing, toes  turned  squarely  to  the  front.     This  posi- 
tion of  the  feet  should  be  insisted  upon  at  all  times, 
except  when  standing  in  the  position  of  attention. 


16         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

45.  The  poise  of  the  body  must  be  free  from 
all  restraint  and  stiffness  and  the  arm  swings,  while 
as  uniform  as  the  leg  motions,  must  be  free  from 
all  exaggeration. 

46.  When  exercises  are  taken  in  connection  with 
marching  the  cadence  of  the  exercise  must  always 
determine  the  cadence  of  the  step. 

47.  In  marching  at  half  step,  the  character  and 
the  cadence  of  the  step  remain  unchanged;  only  the 
length  of  the  step  is  affected.    All  tendency  to  shuf- 
fling, raising  the  knees  unduly  or  "digging"  the  toes 
in  should  be  avoided. 

48.  In  marking  time,  the  heels  should  be  raised 
first  and  the  toes  last,  the  foot  being  replaced  in  re- 
verse order.     All  tendency  to  raise  ^nd  lower  the 
foot  in  a  flat-footed  manner,  raising  the  whole  foot 
at  the  same  time  with  little  or  no  ankle  motion, 
detracts  from  the  smartness  of  the  movement  and 
adds  to  the  tendency  toward  flat-footedness. 

49.  Jumping.     When  indulged  in  for  the  pur- 
pose of  developing  coordination,  form  and  control, 
rather  than  for  the  purpose  of  covering  distance, 
it  should  be  confined  to  jumps  of  moderate  length. 

When  the  men  have  learned  to  coordinate  and  can 
perform  the  jumps  in  proper  form  and  with  pre- 
cision, they  should  be  caused  to  extend  themselves 
gradually  in  order  that  they  may  be  able  to  negotiate 
such  obstacles  as  may  confront  them  in  the  field  suc- 
cessfully. 

Jumping  being  an  exercise  of  more  than  ordinary 
severity  instructors  are  warned  to  proceed  cautiously. 

50.  Double    Timing.     The   object   of    double 
timing  is  the  quick  advancement  of  troops  at  as 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          17 

little  physical  expense  as  possible  and  at  a  rate  of 
speed  which  is  determined  by  the  distance  to  be 
covered,  the  urgency  of  the  case,  and  what  is  ex- 
pected of  the  men  when  they  reach  their  destination. 

51.  The  saving  in  physical  effort  is  made  by 
diminishing  the  character  of  the  leg  motions,  thereby 
reducing  the  flight  of  the  body  when  neither  foot 
is  on  the  ground. 

The  muscles  of  the  entire  body  should  be  relaxed 
as  much  as  possible ;  the  trunk,  resting  squarely  upon 
the  hips,  is  allowed  to  incline  forward  until  the  cen- 
ter of  gravity  falls  on  a  point  about  the  length  of  a 
step  in  front  of  the  body. 

The  arms  are  flexed  at  the  elbows,  hands  closed 
and  raised  until  they  are  half  way  between  the 
waist  and  the  shoulders.  As  the  foot  is  advanced 
the  opposite  arm  is  swung  forward  and  inward  from 
the  shoulder,  thereby  assisting  in  forcing  the  body 
forward  on  its  ever  changing  points  of  support. 

The  knees  are  slightly  flexed  constantly  and 
should  never  be  fully  extended. 

52.  The  feet  should  be  parallel  and  raised  with 
the  soles  as  nearly  parallel  with  the  ground  and  as 
close  to  it  as  the  terrain  will  permit.     In  striking 
the  ground  the  heels  come  in  contact  with  it  first, 
the  toes,  however,  being  raised  just  sufficiently  to 
keep  the  foot  from  jamming  up  into  the  shoe  and 
causing  the  toes  to  be  chafed  by  rubbing  against  the 
front  of  the  shoes. 

53.  When  correctly  assumed,  the  attitude  of  the 
body  is  such  that  the  weight  is  constantly  falling 
forward  and  the  legs  are  moved  forward  in  an  ef- 
fort to  establish  an  ever  changing  equilibrium. 


i8         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

The  shoulders  should  travel  forward  in  as  nearly 
a  horizontal  plane  as  possible.  If  this  is  done  all 
jarring  of  the  pack  and  the  attendant  discomforts 
this  jarring  causes  to  the  shoulders  and  back  is 
avoided. 

54.  Breathing  should  be  carried  on  through  the 
nostrils  as  much  as  possible  and  in  order  to  facilitate 
respiration  as  much  as  possible  the  chest  muscles 
should  be  relaxed  as  much  as  circumstances  and 
equipment  will  permit. 

55.  The  cadence  is  180  steps  per  minute  and  the 
length  of  the  stride  is  thirty-six  inches. 

56.  When  properly  performed  this  gait  will  pro- 
duce the  maximum  of  results  through  the  minimum 
of  effort. 

57.  There  is  no  exercise  that  will  develop  con- 
dition, vigor  and  endurance,  lung  and  leg  power  in 
general  as  double  timing  at  a  moderate  rate  of  speed 
will.     On  account  of  its  severity  and  tendency  to 
permanent  injury  to  the  heart,  instructors  are  cau- 
tioned to  proceed  carefully,  particularly  when  han- 
dling green  men. 

58.  Exercises  while  double  timing  are  intended 
to  develop  flexibility,  agility  and  general  mobility 
and  to  prepare  men  for  the  endurance  runs. 

59.  Endurance  Runs.     These  should  form  a 
part  of  the  afternoon  period.     From  lasting  only  a 
few  minutes  in  the  beginning  of  the  training,  the 
time  should  be  gradually  extended  until,  through 
daily  drills,  the  men  are  in  such  condition  at  the  end 
of   the  recruit  period  of   training  that   they  can 
double  time  for  a  very  considerable  length  of  time 
without  becoming  unduly  fatigued  or  distressed. 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          19 

The  trained  soldier  should  practice  the  endurance 
runs  fully  equipped. 

60.  Contests.    These  should  be  such  as  bring 
the  men  into  personal  contact  with  each  other.  They 
should  be  personal  encounters  that  aside  from  their 
physical  value  bring  out  and  develop  the  individual's 
aggressiveness,  agility,  quickness  of  perception,  and 
add  to  his  confidence  and  morale. 

61.  In  contests  in  which  superiority  is  deter- 
mined by  skill  and  agility  few  if  any  restrictions 
need  be  placed  upon  the  efforts  of  the  contestants. 
In  those  contests,  however,  that  are  determined  by 
strength  and  endurance  it  is  well  to  call  a  "draw" 
when  the  contests  are  likely  to  be  drawn  out  to  the 
point  of  exhaustion. 

62.  Two  of  these  contests  should  be  included  in 
every  lesson,  except  in  the  preliminary  ones,  and 
contests  requiring  skill  and  agility  should  alternate 
with  those  that  depend  upon  strength  and  endur- 
ance. 

The  contests  should  be  made  as  recreational  as 
possible  in  order  that  the  men  may  relax. 

63.  As  many  as  possible  should  be  engaged  at 
the  same  time,  the  men  being  paired  off  in  accord- 
ance with  weight,  strength  and  general  aptitude. 

64.  Group  Contests,   Games  and  Athletics. 
These  should  form  a  part  of  the  afternoon  period 
and  be  purely  recreational  in  order  that  the  men 
may  thoroughly  relax  from  those  forms  of  physical 
activities  that  require  constant  concentration. 

65.  Endurance  Course.     A  regular  measured 
course  should  be  provided  for  these  runs,  and  as  its 
purpose  is  the  development  of  the  ability  to  over- 


20         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

come  obstacles  as  well  as  the  development  of  endur- 
ance, the  course  should  have  various  kinds  of  ob- 
stacles. 

66.  It  is  recommended  that  the  course  measure 
100  yards  in  length  and  be  provided  with  the  fol- 
lowing obstacles,  the  interval  between  them  to  be 
approximately  ten  yards. 

(a)  The  starting  line. 

(b)  A  ditch  with  perpendicular  sides,  4^   feet  deep; 
for  jumping  into  and  climbing  out  of. 

(c)  A  row  of  2.y2  foot  fixed  hurdles;  for  hurdling. 

(d)  A  bar  fence  with  top  bar  adjustable  up  to  five 
feet;  for  vaulting. 

(e)  An  8  foot  shallow  ditch ;  for  broad  jumping. 

(f)  A  6  foot  sandbag  wall  with  perpendicular  sides; 
for  climbing  up  and  jumping  off. 

(g)  A  closed  6^2  foot  fence;  for  scaling. 

(h)  A  4J/2  foot  elevated  balance  run.  This  is  con- 
structed of  four  twelve  foot  planks,  twelve  inches  wide, 
elevated  three  feet  from  the  ground;  the  planks  are  laid 
end  for  end  in  about  a  30  degree  zig-zag;  for  balance 
running. 

(i)  A  row  of  2 1/2  foot  fixed  hurdles;  for  hurdling. 

(j)  The  finish  line. 

Other  obstacles  may  be  introduced  and  if  natural 
obstacles  are  available  they  should  be  utilized. 

67.  The  course  should  be  wide  enough  to  accom- 
modate at  least  sixteen  men  at  the  same  time.    By 
starting  the  men  at  intervals  of  ten  yards  a  single 
course  will  be  sufficient  to  engage  160  men  at  one 
time. 


SECTION  IV 
INSTRUCTORS 

PARAGRAPH 

Officers  in  charge  of  the  instruction      .        .  68-71 

Number  to  be  instructed  at  one  time  .        .  72 

Instructors  to  be  conscientious  73 

Drills  to  be  attractive 74-75 

The  function  of  every  military  drill          .        .  76 

Instructors  to  be  an  inspiration          ...  77 

Exercise  the  means,  not  the  end  ...  78 

Exercising  to  the  point  of  exhaustion      .        .  79 

Uniform  to  be  worn 80 

After  reveille  drills 81 

Instructors  to  prepare  the  lessons  ...  82 
Number  of  times  an  exercise  should  be  re- 
peated            83 

Explanations,  when  not  to  make  them  .        .  84-85 

Frequency  of  rests 86 

68.  The  Officer  in  Charge  of  This  Instruction. 

For  disciplinary  purposes  and  also  to  give  to  this 
training  the  importance  and  dignity  it  merits,  it  is 
absolutely  necessary  that  its  direction  be  placed  in 
charge  of  instructors  who  are  regularly  commis- 
sioned in  the  service. 

One  of  these  should  be  placed  in  charge  and  held 
responsible  for  everything  pertaining  to  this  train- 
ing in  the  division  to  which  he  is  assigned. 

69.  This    division    inspector-instructor    should 
have  associated  with  him  a  regularly  commissioned 
officer  in  every  regiment  or  its  equivalent. 

21 


22         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

70.  These      regimental      inspector  -  instructors 
should  have  charge  of  the  training  in  their  respec- 
tive regiments.     They  should  instruct  and  train  at 
least  one  officer  in  each  battalion  to  act  as  their 
assistants  in  supervising  the  work. 

71.  The   battalion  inspector-instructors   should 
in  turn  instruct  the  platoon  leaders  of  their  unit,  so 
they  may  be  competent  to  conduct  this  work  intelli- 
gently under  the  supervision  of  the  battalion-in- 
structor. 

72.  Number  of  Men  to  Be  Instructed.     As  a 
rule  this  instruction  should  not  be  imparted  to  a 
unit  greater  than  a  platoon.     For  disciplinary  pur- 
poses and  in  order  to  weld  the  command  into  a 
compact,  alert  and  quick  unit  and  foster  a  spirit 
of  enthusiasm  which  can  not  be  accomplished  by 
any  other  means  as  effectively  as  by  this,  the  whole 
company  should  be  drilled  as  a  unit  at  least  once  a 
week. 

When  the  men  become  proficient  a  whole  bat- 
talion should  occasionally  be  drilled  together. 

73.  Instructors  Must  Be  Conscientious.     In- 
structors must  go  at  this  work  conscientiously ;  they 
must  be  qualified  in  every  way  to  conduct  this  work 
successfully,  for  in  no  part  of  the  instruction  of  the 
men  does  the  individuality  of  an  instructor  count 
for  as  much  as  it  does  in  this  phase  of  it. 

Instructors  must  therefore  always  be  an  example 
to  the  men;  be  stripped  and  ready  for  action  and 
prepared  not  only  to  describe  an  exercise  minutely 
and  clearly  but  to  perform  it  with  precision  and 
accuracy. 

74.  Drills  Must  Be   Made  Attractive.     The 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          23 

drill  should  be  made  as  attractive  as  possible.  It 
should  act  as  an  exhilarant  and  be  gone  at  with  en- 
thusiasm, but  this  will  not  result  if  the  mind,  which 
exerts  more  influence  upon  the  body  than  any  ex- 
traneous influence,  is  not  employed;  for  it  is  im- 
possible to  brighten  or  make  a  man  quick  and  active 
physically  if  his  mental  faculties  are  being  dulled, 
and  vice  versa. 

75.  The  relation  between  mental  and  physical 
activity  is  so  intimate  that  it  is  impossible  to  ignore 
the  one  without  seriously  affecting  the  other. 

This  fact  can  not  be  impressed  upon  instructors 
too  forcibly.  A  drill  made  monotonous  by  the  con- 
stant repetition  of  the  same  exercises  is  bound  to 
become  irksome  and  finally  results  in  becoming  all 
but  useless,  because  by  not  employing  the  mind 
the  spirit  and  enthusiasm  are  killed  in  even  the 
most  enthusiastic  and  conscientious,  and  the  drill 
becomes  a  mechanical  drudgery. 

76.  The   Function  of  Every  Military  Drill 
should  appeal  to  the  mental  as  well  as  to  the  physi- 
cal side  of  the  men.     By  enlisting  their  intelligence 
in  what  is  required  of  them  a  cheerful,  intelligent 
and  enthusiastic  responsiveness  always  results. 

An  instructor  who  does  not  grasp  this  will  find 
himself  unable  to  arouse  the  men  to  the  point  where 
they  will  voluntarily  extend  themselves  to  the  limit 
of  their  capabilities. 

77.  Instructors    Must    Be    an    Inspiration. 
They  should,  if  possible,  be  men  of  better  than  or- 
dinary physique,  and  possess  the  ability  to  incite 
the  men  to  give  the  best  that  is  in  them.     This 
means  that  they  must  possess  an  unusual  amount  of 


24          KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

muscular  and  nervous  energy,  which  they  must  be 
prepared  to  spend  unstintingly. 

78.  Exercise  the  Means,  Not  the  End.     In- 
structors should  constantly  bear  in  mind  that  the 
exercises  are  the  means  and  not  the  end,  and  that 
it  is  the  application  of  an  exercise  rather  than  the 
exercise   itself  upon  which   successful   results   de- 
pend.    Whenever  a  doubt  arises  in  an  instructor's 
mind  as  to  the  effect  of  an  exercise,  he  should  al- 
ways err  on  the  side  of  safety  as  underdoing  is 
rectifiable,  overdoing  is  often  not. 

79.  Exercising  to  the  Point  of  Exhaustion. 
To  exercise  men  to  the  point  of  exhaustion  is  not 
only  liable  to  result  seriously  to  the  men,  but  it 
kills  their  spirit  and  enthusiasm,  and  without  these 
successful  military  training  of  any  kind  is  impos- 
sible.   It  cannot  be  impressed  too  urgently  upon  in- 
structors and  upon  others  connected  with  the  train- 
ing of  recruits  that  this  drill,  particularly  the  morn- 
ing drill,  must  leave  the  men  fit,  able  and  eager  for 
their  other  tasks;  with  an  increased  rather  than 
with  a  diminished  amount  of  energy  and  enthu- 
siasm.    Instructors  who  do  not  possess  the  faculty 
of  obtaining  this  result  should  not  be  intrusted  with 
this  instruction. 

80.  Uniform  to  Be  Worn.     The  uniform  worn 
will  depend  upon  the  season  of  the  year  and  the 
state  of  the  weather.    At  no  time  should  a  uniform 
that  does  not  admit  of  the  freest  possible  movement 
of  the  body  be  worn. 

During  the  warm  months  of  the  year,  under- 
shirts and  loosely  laced  breeches  without  leggings 
should  be  prescribed ;  the  olive  drab  shirts  being  sub- 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          25 

stituted  for  the  undershirt  during  the  colder  months 
or  during  inclement  weather. 

Under  ordinary  conditions  the  regulation  shoe 
will  be  prescribed,  but  tennis  shoes  may  be  substi- 
tuted when  these  are  in  the  possession  of  the  men. 

Hats,  caps  or  blouses  will  not  be  worn.  If  a 
head  covering  is  worn  it  should  be  removed. 

After  exercising,  the  men  should  be  instructed 
to  remove  the  underclothing  and  socks,  and  if  time 
and  facilities  permit  they  should  be  instructed  to 
bathe. 

81.  After  Reveille  Drills.     The  perniciousness 
of  the  practice  of  exercising  men  strenuously  imme- 
diately after  rising  and  before  eating  has  been  dealt 
with  elsewhere. 

82.  Instructors  Must  Prepare  Lessons.     In- 
structors are  cautioned  that  success  can  only  be  ex- 
pected if  they  work  along  the  lines  of  carefully 
prepared  lessons,  all  aimed  at  the  attainment  of  the 
ultimate  general  object. 

83.  Number  of  Times  an  Exercise  Should  Be 
Repeated.     As  stated  before,  it  is  impossible  to 
lay  down  a  hard  and  fast  rule  governing  the  num- 
ber of  times  any  particular  exercise  should  be  re- 
peated.    In  this  matter  instructors  must  exercise 
their  own  judgment,  which  should  be  based  upon 
the  condition  of  the  men,  aptitude,  time  of  day  and 
the  nature  of  the  exercise. 

Should  any  question  relating  to  this  arise  in  the 
mind  of  the  instructor  he  is  again  warned  to  err 
upon  the  side  of  safety. 

84.  Explanations  Made  While  Men  Are  in  a 
Constrained  Attitude.     Instructors  must  avoid  the 


26         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

tendency  to  make  explanations,  suggestions  or  long- 
drawn-out  corrections  while  the  men  are  in  a  con- 
strained position,  as  it  never  fails  to  detract  from 
the  snappiness  of  the  drill  and  needlessly  exhausts 
the  men. 

With  practice,  instructors  will  develop  the  faculty 
of  interpolating  cautions  and  corrections  and  to  in- 
spire the  men  to  increased  effort  and  snap  while 
they  are  exercising,  without  interfering  with  the 
performance  of  the  exercise  or  its  cadence. 

85.  When    explanations,    corrections,    etc.,    are 
made  the  men  should  be  placed  in  some  position 
which  will  insure  their  being  able  to  give  the  in- 
structor their   full  attention.     All  long-drawn-out 
explanations  should  be  avoided;  those  given  should 
be  brief,  concise  and  definite. 

86.  Frequency  of  Rests.     In  the  beginning  fre- 
quent rests  should  be  given,  later  as  the  men  im- 
prove in  condition  the  frequency  and  duration  of  the 
rests  should  be  gradually  decreased. 

Short  snappy  drills  are  always  to  be  preferred  to 
long  and  tedious  ones. 


SECTION  V 
COMMANDS 


PARAGRAPH 

The  importance  of  commands        ...  87 

Instructors  to  cultivate  ability  to  command  88 

Chest   voice 89-90 

Power  and  control  exercises  ....  92 

Articulation,  enunciation  and  diction     .         .  93 

Division   of  commands 94 

Commands   of  continuance     ....  95 

Commands  for  exercises  performed  statically  96 

Commands  for  continued  exercises          .        .  97-101 

The  interval  between  commands  .  102 


87.  The  Importance  of  Military  Commands. 
It  is  impossible  to  overestimate  the  importance  of 
the  ability  to  give  commands  properly.  Besides  be- 
ing the  means  through  which  an  instructor  com- 
municates what  is  required  of  those  in  his  charge, 
and  when  this  requirement  is  to  go  into  effect, 
commands  must  also  convey  the  nature  of  the  per- 
formance of  the  requirement. 

Invariably  a  movement  is  performed  precisely  as 
it  is  ordered.  If  the  command  is  delivered  con- 
cisely, distinctly,  in  proper  cadence,  and  with  energy 
and  snap,  the  performance  will  be  found  to  fit  the 
command;  just  as  it  will  fit  a  command  that  is 
given  in  a  lifeless  and  slovenly  manner.  In  other 

27 


28         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

words,  an  instructor  will  always  find  the  response 
to  his  command  to  be  a  direct  reflection  of  his  ef- 
forts, or  lack  of  them,  in  this  regard. 

88.  Instructors  to  Cultivate  the  Ability  to 
Command.     Instructors     should    practice    giving 
commands  assiduously  until  their  vocal  organs  de- 
velop the  requisite  amount  of  quality  and  power  and 
until  they  succeed  in  fully  controlling  the  pitch  and 
tone  of  their  voice.    Every  individualhas  a  certain 
pitch  that  will  carry  farther  and  is  more  distinct 
than  any  other;  this  he  should  make  it  his  business 
to  develop. 

89.  Chest  Voice.     Commands  should  be  deliv- 
ered with  what  is  commonly  known  as  a  "chest 
voice."  in  contradistinction  to  what  is  known  as  a 
"head  voice."    The  former  is  usually  a  low-pitched 
voice  that  will  carry  farther,  be  more  distinct  and 
require  less  exertion  than  the  latter. 

90.  In  order  to  cultivate  this  chest  voice  the 
muscles  of  the  chest,  neck  and  those  that  control 
the  larynx  should  be  relaxed,  so  that  the  trachea  or 
windpipe  may  be  fully  distended  when  the  air  is 
being  forced  up  through  it  and  against  the  vocal 
cords  by  the  action  of  the  diaphragm. 

91.  The  mouth  must  be  opened  fully  and  with 
the  assistance  and  proper  use  of  the  tongue,  teeth 
and  lips  the  words  of  the  command  should  be  ar- 
ticulated and  enunciated  with  the  utmost  distinct- 
ness and  precision  and  with  sufficient  volume  to  fit 
the  occasion. 

92.  Power,  Pitch  and  Control  Exercises.    The 
following  simple  exercises  are  recommended  to  cul- 
tivate these: 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL         29 

Take  a  moderately  deep  inhalation,  and  then  following 
the  instructions  given  above,  utter  hong  with  as  much 
volume  as  possible  and  in  the  proper  pitch  for  a  period 
of  from  four  to  five  seconds;  inhale  again  and  in  the 
same  manner  as  before  give  utterance  to  the  word  kong. 

To  vary  the  sounds  this  practice  should  be  fol- 
lowed by  using  the  words  sing-song  and  ding-dong. 
These  words  are  recommended  because  they  are 
simple,  easily  remembered  and  because  they  are  com- 
posed of  sounds  that  adapt  themselves  best  in  bring- 
ing out  the  intent  of  the  instruction. 

93.  Articulation,    Enunciation   and    Diction. 
All  the  words  of  a  command,  particularly  of  the 
preparatory   commands,    must   be   articulated   dis- 
tinctly;  the  enunciation  must  be  clear,  have  the 
proper  entonement,  possess  the  right  inflection  and 
power  and  be  convincing ;  the  diction  must  be  pure ; 
the  substitution  of  sounds  that  in  many  instances 
have  no  relation  whatever  to  the  sounds  of  the 
words  for  which  they  are  substituted  should  be 
avoided. 

94.  Division  of  Commands.     There  are  two 
kinds  of  military  commands,  the  preparatory  and 
the  executive.    The  preparatory  command  describes 
and  specifies  what  is  required  and  the  executive 
calls  what  has  been  described  into  action. 

Preparatory  commands  are  printed  in  ordinary 
type  and  the  executive  commands  in  CAPITALS. 

Thus:  i.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE. 

All  preparatory  commands  must  be  given  with  a 
rising  inflection  and  the  instructor  must  have  the 


30         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

feeling  that  he  is  lifting  the  entire  command  with 
his  voice  and  creating  an  eagerness  on  the  part  of 
the  men  to  be  off,  so  to  speak,  when  the  executive 
command,  which  usually  consists  of  one  word,  is 
literally  shot  at  them. 

95.  Commands   of   Continuance.     This   is   a 
command  that  is  used  in  the  repetition  of  an  exer- 
cise and  may  be  expressed  in  words  or  in  numbers ; 
in  either  case,  however,  it  must  be  used  not  only  to 
indicate  the  cadence  or  rhythm  of  the  exercise  but 
it  must  also  be  indicative  of  the  manner  in  which 
each  movement  of  an  exercise  is  to  be  performed. 

Through  the  proper  use  of  these  commands  long 
explanations  are  avoided  and  instructors  are  able  to 
place  themselves  in  absolute  accord  with  the  men  by 
conveying  the  "feel"  of  an  exercise  to  them. 

Thus:  I.  Bend  trunk  forward,  2.  EXERCISE.  O-n-e, 
two,  o-n-e,  two,  etc. 

Here  the  long  drawn  out  o-n-e  indicates  that  the 
movement  should  be  performed  slowly,  while  the 
short,  snappy  two  indicates  a  quick  recovery. 

96.  Commands  for  Exercises  Performed  Stat- 
ically.   If  it  is  the  purpose  of  the  instructor  to  have 
exercises  performed  statically,  i.  e.,  have  the  men 
pause  in  position  after  every  movement  of  an  exer- 
cise, the  instructor  will  use  words  indicative  of  the 
successive  movements  rather  than  numerals. 


Thus:   i.  On  toes,  2.  RISE.  3.  Knees,  4.  BEND.  5. 
Knees,  6.  EXTEND.  7.  Heels,  8.  DOWN  or 
i.  Trunk  forward,  2.  BEND.  3.  RECOVER. 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          31 

In  these  commands  the  executive  word  must  also 
indicate  how  what  is  required  is  to  be  performed. 
In  the  first  of  these  exercises  the  word  RISE  is 
spoken  sharply  and  quickly,  indicating  snap  and 
quick  action ;  the  word  BEND  is  drawn  moderately, 
indicating  moderately  slow  performance;  the  word 
EXTEND  is  given  in  the  same  way,  while  the  word 
DOWN  is  spoken  moderately  fast  and  definitely,  in- 
dicating moderately  fast  performance  and  finality. 

In  the  second  exercise  the  word  BEND  is  drawn 
considerably,  indicating  slow  performance,  while  the 
word  RECOVER  is  spoken  moderately  fast  and 
sharp. 

The  word  RECOVER  is  generally  used  to  bring 
the  men  back  to  the  original  starting  position. 

97.  Commands  for  Continued  Performance. 
In  these  the  preparatory  commands  must  explain 
the  entire  exercise,  while  the  command  of  execution, 
which  is  almost  always  confined  to  the  word  EXER- 
CISE, calls  for  the  continuation  of  the  exercise, 
the  commands  fitting  the  repetitions  being  confined 
to  numerals. 

98.  When  large  bodies  of  men  are  exercising  to- 
gether it  is  advisable  to  follow  up  the  explanatory 
preparatory    command    with    another    preparatory 
command  that  will  prepare  the  men  for  the  com- 
mand of  execution.     This  will  insure  the  exercise 
being  performed  simultaneously. 

Thus:  i.  Swing  arms  downward  and  sideward,  2.  In 
cadence,  3.  EXERCISE. 

99.  To  discontinue  an  exercise  performed  in  this 
manner,  the  command  HALT  is  given  in  place  of 


32         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

the  last  numeral,  which,  in  order  to  prepare  the 
men  for  the  command  halt,  should  always  be  given 
with  a  rising  reflection. 

Thus:  i.  Thrust  arms  forward,  2.  EXERCISE.  One, 
two,  one,  two,  one,  HALT. 

100.  When  numerals  are  used  they  should  al- 
ways be  equal  to  the  number  of  movements  compos- 
ing the  exercise.     Thus,  an  exercise  of  two  move- 
ments will  be  repeated  at  one,  two;  one  of  four 
movements  will  require  four  counts,  etc. 

101.  If  any  particular  movement  of  an  exer- 
cise is  to  be  performed  with  more  energy  than  the 
others,  the  numeral  corresponding  to  that  move- 
ment should  be  emphasized. 

Thus:  i.  Rise  on  toes,  2.  EXERCISE.  One,  two,  one, 
two,  etc. 

Here  the  emphasis  is  placed  upon  the  upward 
movement,  consequently  one,  which  corresponds  to 
that  movement,  is  emphasized. 

1 02.  The  Interval  Between  Commands.    The 
interval  between  the  preparatory  and  executive  com- 
mands should  be  long  enough  to  insure  the  average 
man  having  understood  the  former  before  the  latter 
is  given. 

Under  ordinary  circumstances  the  cadence,  par- 
ticularly in  marching  and  in  the  manual,  should  be 
given  in  the  cadence  of  the  quick  time,  allowing 
three  beats  to  elapse  between  the  end  of  the  prepara- 
tory and  the  beginning  of  the  executive  commands. 

103.  In  marching,  the  interval  between  the  pre- 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          33 

paratory  and  the  executive  command  should  be 
three  paces,  the  command  Halt,  whenever  it  is  pos- 
sible, falling  on  the  right  foot.  This  insures  clos- 
ing with  the  right  foot,  which  should  be  brought 
in  contact  with  the  left  with  a  click. 


SECTION  VI 
MASS  COMMANDS 

PARAGRAPH 

Introduction  of  mass  commands  .        .        .  103-107 

Method  of  procedure 108-111 

Commands  for  setting-up  exercises      .        .  112-114 

Commands  for  military  movements     .        .  115-123 

103.  Mass  Commands.     This  innovation,  first 
tried  experimentally  at  one  of  the  Officers'  Training 
Camps  by  the  author,  has  provided  recruit  instruc- 
tion with  a  means  more  far-reaching  in  importance 
than  anything  that  has  yet  been  introduced. 

Through  it,  it  has  been  possible  to  give  to  large 
masses  of  men  all  the  benefits  accruing  from  indi- 
vidual instruction  by  constituting  each  one  more  or 
less  his  own  drill  instructor. 

104.  The  advantage  of  this  method  over  the  old 
one  is  found  in  the  fact  that  every  individual  is  made 
to  rely  upon  his  own  initiative  and  intelligence. 
He  not  only  learns  the  commands,  and  how  and 
when  to  execute  them  properly,  but,  being  his  own 
drill  master,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  he  learns 
how  to  give  the  commands  himself  and  to  execute 
them  at  his  own  command  given  in  unison  with  the 
rest  of  the  members  of  his  unit. 

105.  As  every  individual  is  required  to  give  the 
commands  as  if  he  alone  were  giving  them  for  the 

34 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          35 

entire  unit,  the  volume  and  smash  of  these  com- 
bined voices  literally  impels  every  man  to  extend 
himself  to  the  limit  in  executing  the  movements 
properly. 

1 06.  As  a  result  of  these  mass  commands  diffi- 
dence and  temerity  and  the  awkwardness  due  to 
them  disappear  almost  instantly,  and  in  their  place 
confidence,   self-reliance,   assertiveness,   enthusiasm 
and  proficiency,  and  a  sense  of  rhythm  and  coordina- 
tion are  developed  in  a  degree  impossible  by  any 
other  means. 

107.  The  time  required  to  attain  the  same  de- 
gree of  proficiency  is  less  than  one-half  what  it  is 
under  the  old  methods,  and  the  product  of  this  new 
method  is  in  every  way  superior  to  that  of  the  old. 

1 08.  The  Method  of  Procedure  of  This  In- 
struction.    When  the  men  are  first  assembled  they 
are  informed  what  is  expected  of  them.    Then  every 
movement  is  explained  to  them  in  detail  and  so  far 
as  it  is  possible  to  do  so  the  reasons  for  the  move- 
ment are  given.    The  command  which  calls  the  re- 
quirement into  action  is  then  repeated  for  them  and 
the  instructor  then  personally  gives  the  command 
and  performs  the  movement  several  times  himself. 
He  then  causes  the  men  to  give  the  command,  with- 
out, however,  permitting  them  to  perform  the  move- 
ment, until  they  have  learned  to  give  the  command 
properly. 

When  they  have  learned  to  do  this  he  causes 
them  to  give  the  commands  and  to  perform  the 
movement  themselves. 

109.  To  overcome  timidity  and  self-conscious- 
ness and  to  instill  confidence  and  assertiveness  in 


36         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

place  of  them,  as  well  as  to  teach  the  men  how  to 
use  their  voices  properly,  the  instructor  will  cause 
the  men  to  repeat  the  voice  exercises  described  in 
Paragraph  92  for  several  minutes. 

This  is  first  to  be  done  in  an  ordinary  tone  of 
voice,  the  volume  to  be  gradually  increased  until 
every  man  is  able  to  perform  these  exercises  with 
the  full  force  of  his  voice. 

no.  After  explaining  the  voice  exercises  and 
illustrating  them  personally  the  instructor  will  com- 
mand:  i.  Voice  drill,  using  the  word  Hong-Kong; 
2.  Inhale;  3.  NOW. 

At  now  the  men  will  sound  the  word  hong  and 
continue  until  the  instructor  raises  his  hand,  when 
they  cease,  and  inhaling  rapidly,  at  the  instructor's 
signal,  they  will  sound  the  word  kong  until  he  gives 
them  the  signal  to  discontinue. 

in.  In  teaching  the  men  the  commands  it  will 
be  found  necessary  to  divide  the  commands,  teach- 
ing them  the  preparatory  command  first  and  then 
the  executive  command,  combining  them  only  when 
they  have  learned  to  give  each  correctly. 

112.  Mass  Commands  for  Setting-up  Exer- 
cises. When  mass  commands  for  the  setting-up 
exercises  are  used,  the  instructor  may  cause  the  men 
to  repeat  the  entire  preparatory  command  after  him. 
The  simpler  way,  however,  is  for  him  to  give  the 
preparatory  command  himself  and  then  have  them 
put  the  exercise  into  motion  by  commanding:  I.  In 
cadence,  2.  EXERCISE. 

The  men  will  do  their  own  counting,  coming  to  a 
halt  at  their  own  command  upon  the  instructor's 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          37 

signal,  given  by  raising  the  arm  or  arms  at  the  be- 
ginning of  an  exercise's  last  repetition. 

113.  All  mass  commands  are  given  by  the  men 
at  the  instructor's  command:  COMMAND. 

Illustration : — 

The  instructor  cautions — i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  COM- 
MAND. The  mass  responds — I.  Hands  on  hips,  2. 
PLACE. 

The  instructor  cautions — I.  Lower  arms,  2.  COM- 
MAND. The  mass  responds—  I.  Arms,  2.  DOWN. 

In  performing  a  continued  exercise  the  men  are 
first  caused  to  assume  the  required  starting  posi- 
tion, as  illustrated  above.  The  instructor  then  gives 
the  preparatory  command  and  the  mass  the  execu- 
tive command. 

Illustration: — 

The  instructor  cautions — I.  Raise  arms  to  thrust,  2. 
COMMAND.  The  mass  responds — Arms  to  thrust,  2. 
RAISE. 

The  instructor  cautions — i.  Thrust  arms  forward, 
swing  side,  swing  forward,  and  recover  in  four  counts, 
2.  COMMAND.  The  mass  responds — i.  In  Cadence,  2. 
EXERCISE,  and  counts  one,  two,  three,  four,  until  the 
signal  to  discontinue  is  given  on  one,  when  the  count 
will  be  one,  two,  three,  HALT. 

114.  Mass    Commands   for    Military    Move- 
ments.    The  procedure  in  mass  commands  for  the 
purely  military  exercises  is  as  follows : 

(i)  Instructor — i.  Call  the  command  to  attention,  2. 
COMMAND.  Mass — i.  Company  (or  whatever  the  unit 
may  be),  2.  ATTENTION. 


38         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

(2)  Inst. — i.  Cause  the  command  to  stand  at  ease,  2. 
COMMAND.    Mass— i.  At,  2.  EASE. 

(3)  Inst. — i.    Dress    to    the    right,    2.    COMMAND. 
Mass— i.  Right,  2.  DRESS. 

(4)  Inst— i.    Front    the-  command,    2.    COMMAND. 
Mass— i.  FRONT. 

(5)  Inst.— i.    Face    to    the    right,    2.    COMMAND. 
Mass— i.  Right,  2.  FACE. 

(6)  Inst.— i.    Mark   time,   2.    COMMAND.    Mass— i. 
Mark  time,  2.  MARCH. 

(7)  Inst. — i.    Halt    the    command,    2.    COMMAND. 
Mass — i.  Company,  2.  HALT. 

115.  When  the  command  to  halt  the  command 
is  given,  the  instructor  should  give  the  command  of 
command  when  the  left  foot  is  being  placed  on  the 
ground.     The  men  will  then  give  the  cautionary 
command    Company   when   the   left    foot   is   next 
placed  on  the  ground  and  counting  one  as  the  left 
foot  comes  down  again,  two  on  the  right  foot,  three 
on  the  left,  and  give  HALT  on  the  right  foot.    This 
will  cause  the  right  foot  to  close  the  march,  which 
should  always  be  done  with  a  click  of  the  heels. 

(8)  The  instructor  having  given  the  cautionary  com- 
mand to  halt  the  company,  the  mass  commands:  i.  Com- 
pany, one   (left),  two  (right),  three   (left),  HALT. 

This  same  method  is  used  when  the  company  is  on 
the  march. 

1 1 6.  For  the  purpose  of  instruction  and  to  keep 
the  men  alert  it  is  a  good  policy  not  to  prompt  the 
necessary  command  when  it  can  be  avoided,  thus, 
in  changing  formations  from  line  to  column  or  the 
reverse  the  instructor  should  express  the  change  he 
desires  and  the  direction  of  the  change. 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          39 

The  company  being  in  line  and  at  a  halt,  to  change 
it  to  column  to  the  right — 

(9)  Inst. — i.  Change  to  column  to  the  right,  2.  COM- 
MAND. Mass— i.  Squads  right,  2.  MARCH,  one,  two, 
three,  Company,  one,  two,  three,  HALT. 

In  squads  right  or  left  the  command  of  execution 
is  followed  by  three  counts,  then  the  cautionary 
command  Company  is  given,  followed  by  three  more 
counts,  and  then  the  command  Halt  is  given. 

In  squads  right  and  left  about,  the  command  of 
execution  is  followed  by  six  counts,  then  the  cau- 
tionary command  Company  is  given,  followed  by 
three  counts  and  HALT,  as  in  squads  right  or  left. 

117.  When  the  company  is  in  line  and  at  a 
halt  and  the  instructor  wishes  to  move  it  to  the 
right,  or  left,  in  column  he  indicates  his  wishes  by : 

(10)  Inst. — i.   Move  the  company  in  column  to  the 
right,    2.    COMMAND.      Mass— i.     Squads     right,    2. 
MARCH. 

To  change  from  line  to  column  to  the  right  and 
to  move  the  column  to  the  left: 

(n)  Inst. — i.  Change  to  column  to  the  right  and  move 
to  the  left,  2.  COMMAND.  Mass— I.  Right  by  squads, 
2.  MARCH. 

The  change  from  line  to  column  to  the  right  and 
move  in  column  to  the  right: 

(12)  Inst. — i.  Change  to  column  to  the  right  and  move 
to  the  right,  2.  COMMAND.  Mass— Squads  right,  2. 
Column  right,  3.  MARCH. 


40         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

1 1 8.  Being  on  the  march  and  wishing  to  change 
the  direction,  the  instructor  commands:  i.  Change 
direction   to   the   right,   or  left,    2.  COMMAND, 
which  will  be  followed  by  the  mass  giving  the  regu- 
lar commands. 

119.  The  company  being  on  the  march  in  column 
and  wishing  to  change  direction  to  the  rear  he  com- 
mands:  i.  Change  direction  to  the  right,  or  left 
rear,  2.  COMMAND,  the  mass  corresponding  with 

1.  Squads  right,  or  left  about,  2.  MARCH. 

1 20.  Being  on  the  march  in  line  and  wishing 
to  change  to  column  and  halt,  the  instructor  com- 
mands: i.  Change  to  column  to  the  right  and  halt, 

2.  COMMAND,  the  mass  command  is  the  same  as 
in  (9). 

121.  With  these  examples  for  illustrations  in- 
structors should  have  no  difficulty  in  instructing  the 
men  to  give  the  proper  commands  for  all  of  the 
company  movements. 

122.  When  on  the  march  the  instructor  must 
caution  the  men  that  an  interval  of  three  paces 
should    always    elapse    between    their   preparatory 
command  and  the  command  of  execution;  that  the 
command  of  execution  for  the  halt  should  be  given 
preferably  on  the  right  foot;  that  it  is  best  to  give 
the  command  of  execution  for  squads  right  or  left 
or  right  and  left  about  on  the  right  foot,  because 
it  is  usual  to  allow  an  odd  number  of  steps  for  the 
performance  of  these  movements,  5  or  7  for  squads 
right  or  left  and  n  for  squads  right  or  left  about, 
and  giving  the  command  on  the  right  foot  will  there- 
fore insure  stepping  off  in  the  new  direction  with 
the  left  foot 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          41 

123.  The  command  for  marching  by  the  flanks 
and  obliquing  should  be  given  on  the  foot  corre- 
sponding to  the  direction;  to  the  rear  should  be 
given  on  the  right  foot,  and  that  for  halting  when 
side-stepping  should  be  given  when  the  heels  are 
being  brought  together. 


SECTION  VII 
POSITIONS  AND  FORMATIONS 

PARAGRAPH 

The  position  of  attention     ....     124-130 
The  position  of  at  ease  and  rest  .        .        .  131 

Formations 132-134 

124.  Position  of  Attention.     This  is  the  posi- 
tion an  unmounted  soldier  assumes  when  in  ranks 
or  whenever  the  command  attention  is  given.    Figs, 
i a  and  ib, 

In  the  training  of  any  one  nothing  equals  the  im- 
portance of  proper  posture;  it  is  the  very  founda- 
tion upon  which  the  entire  fabric  of  a  successful 
course  in  physical  training  must  be  founded. 

125.  This  is  particularly  true  in  the  development 
of  men  for  the  military  profession,  for  aside  from 
its  physiological  influence,  it  exerts  the  traditional 
military  psychological  influence  which  inspires  men 
to  cultivate   those  qualities,    smartness,   precision, 
poise  and  pride  in  personal  appearance,  that  have 
always  been  identified  with  the  military  and  which 
have  always  been  found  coincident  with  discipline. 

126.  The  position  must  be  one  of  mental  as  well 
as  of  physical  preparedness  and  alertness,  and  for 
that  reason  it  must  be  free  from  all  mental  and 
physical  constraint. 

All  muscles  employed  must  be  contracted  only 
42 


,'X 


FLO.  la. 


44         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

enough  to  maintain  the  position  and  every  tendency 
toward  rigidity  should  be  avoided,  as  the  position 
is  one  that  depends  upon  coordination  and  not  upon 
unnecessary  muscular  effort. 

127.  Instructors  are  cautioned  to  describe,  illus- 
trate and  explain  the  position  of  the  various  parts 
of  the  body  in  this  position,  carefully  calling  atten- 
tion to  common  errors  and  explaining  their  origin. 
Proper  attitude  and  posture  must  be  insisted  upon 
both  in  and  out  of  ranks  until  the  men  assume  it 
from  habit. 

128.  At  the  command: 

I.  Company,  2.  ATTENTION. 

The  position  will  be  assumed  as  described  below.  The 
best  results  are  obtained  when  the  command  Company 
is  used  as  a  cautionary  command  and  such  commands 
should  always  be  given  as  sharply  and  as  imperatively  as 
possible.  This  is  followed  by  making  tv/o  commands  of 
the  word  attention,  the  first  two  syllables  being  used  as 
a  preparatory  and  the  last  as  an  executive  command: 
A-T-T-E-N-SHUN. 

The  men  are  cautioned  not  to  move  until  the  last 
syllable,  uttered  with  a  distinctive  snap,  is  given,  when 
they  spring  into  the  following  position,  bringing  the  heels 
together  with  a  click. 

129.  (i)  HEELS  ON  A  LINE,  PARALLEL  TO  THE  FRONT. 

If  the  heels  are  not  on  a  line  the  hips  and  shoulders  are  not 
square. 

(2)  FEET  TURNED  OUT  EQUALLY,  FORMING  AN 
ANGLE  OF  45  DEGREES. 

If  the  feet  are  not  turned  out  equally  the  same  faults  will  oc- 
cur as  above. 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          45 

(3)  KNEES  ARE  EXTENDED,  WITHOUT  STIFFNESS. 

The  muscles  should  be  contracted  just  enough  to  keep  the 
knees  straight,  if  these  are  extended  stiffly,  mobility  is  lost. 

(4)  THE  TRUNK  ERECT  UPON  THE  HIPS. 

The  spine  is  extended  throughout  its  entire  length.  The  men 
should  endeavor  to  make  themselves  as  tall  as  possible,  straight- 
ening out  the  spine  from  the  waist  up  until  the  back  is  as  flat 
as  it  can  be  made.  In  stretching  the  spine  the  chest  will  be 
raised  and  arched  in  a  natural  manner.  This,  however,  should 
be  done  without  raising  the  shoulders  or  interfering  with 
natural  respiration. 

The  buttocks  are  brought  forward  until  they  are  well  under 
the  trunk  and  as  this  is  done  the  ankle  joints  are  flexed  for- 
ward until  the  weight  of  the  body  rests  chiefly  upon  the  balls 
of  the  feet,  the  heels  touching  the  ground  lightly. 

(5)  SHOULDERS  SQUARE,  FALLING  NATURALLY. 

Being  square  means  having  the  line  of  the  shoulder  ridge 
and  the  point  of  the  shoulder  at  right  angles  to  a  general 
plane  running  through  the  body  from  front  to  rear.  The 
shoulders  should  never  be  forced  back  of  this  plane,  but  out 
rather  in  line  with  it,  the  men  endeavoring  to  make  themselves 
as  broad  as  possible  without,  however,  crooking  the  elbows. 

(6)  ARMS  HANGING  NATURALLY. 

The  arms  extended  by  their  own  weight  hang  down  at  the 
sides  naturally,  the  thumb  at  the  trouser  seam,  little  finger  to 
the  rear  and  palms  turned  in  toward  the  thigh. 

If  the  arms  are  extended  downward  forcibly  a  faulty  curve 
in  the  lumbar  region  will  ensue  and  a  so-called  "sway-back" 
will  result. 

(7)  HEAD  ERECT,  NECK  VERTICAL,  EYES  UP. 

The  head  is  raised  until  the  neck  is  vertical,  the  chin  being 
elevated  slightly  above  the  horizontal ;  the  eyes  should  be  fixed 
upon  some  object  at  their  own  height. 

130.  When  this  position  is  properly  assumed,  a 
vertical  line  drawn  from  the  center  of  the  top  of 
the  head  will  pass  in  front  of  the  ears,  shoulders 
and  thighs  and  find  its  base  at  the  balls  of  the  feet. 


46         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

131.     The  Position  of  At  Ease  and  Rest.     To 

prevent  nullifying  the  beneficial  effects  of  this  train- 
ing the  men  should  be  cautioned  about  assuming 
any  position  that  tends  to  do  this.  Standing  on  one 
leg,  folding  arms  in  front  of  the  chest,  allowing 
the  head  and  shoulders  to  droop  forward,  or  the 
body  to  sag  at  the  waist  must  be  persistently  dis- 
countenanced, until  the  men  form  the  habit  of  rest- 
ing with  feet  separated  on  the  same  line,  both  being 
squarely  on  the  ground,  with  hands  clasped  behind 
the  back;  head,  shoulders  and  trunk  erect.  To  in- 
culcate this  habit  it  is  well  to  insist  that  the  men 
assume  the  following  prescribed  position  at  the 
command : 

i.  At,  2.  EASE.  Fig.  2. 

The  preparatory  command  being  drawn  out  and 
the  executive  command  being  given  with  a  distinct 
snap. 

The  left  foot  is  moved  smartly  to  the  left  in  line  with  the 
right  a  distance  from  12  to  14  inches,  and  the  hands  are 
clasped  behind  the  buttocks,  arms  extended  naturally. 

The  trunk,  chest,  head  and  eyes  are  held  pre- 
cisely as  in  the  position  of  attention.  The  weight 
of  the  body  is  distributed  equally  and  silence  and  im- 
mobility are  maintained.  If  it  is  desired  to  rest  the 
men,  the  command 

I.  REST, 

should  be  given  after  the  position  of  at  ease  has  been 
assumed.  While  immobility  and  silence  need  then 
be  no  longer  maintained,  the  men  should  not,  how- 


48         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

ever,  be  permitted  to  assume  a  slouchy  or  slovenly 
resting  position. 

132.  Formations.     The  following  formation  is 
recommended  for  the  setting-up  exercise;  it  being 
the  least  complicated,  most  compact,  least  confusing, 
and  requiring  less  time  than  any  other.     It  can  be 
applied  with  equal  facility  and  promptness  to  any 
unit,  as  it  requires  no  more  time  to  form  a  regiment 
than  it  does  to  form  a  squad. 

133.  The  unit  to  be  drilled  is  formed  in  column 
facing  the  instructor,  short  men  in  front.    Fig.  3. 

At  the  command: 

I.  Extend  on  number  one,  2.  MARCH, 

numbers  one  stands  fast,  numbers  two,  three  and 
four  turn  to  the  left,  and  taking  up  a  double  time, 
numbers  two  take  two  steps  and  face  to  the  front, 
with  arms  in  the  side  horizontal,  numbers  three  and 
four  taking  respectively  four  and  six  steps  before 
facing  and  raising  arms  sideward.  Fig.  4. 

This  interval  will  be  sufficient  to  leave  a  space 
of  about  12  inches  between  the  finger  tips  of  the 
respective  numbers. 

At  the  command : 

I.  Arms,  2.  DOWN, 

the  arms  are  lowered  smartly  to  the  sides.  The 
front  and  rear  rank  men  are  now  covered  and  too 
close  to  each  other  to  carry  on  the  exercises.  To 
provide  ample  space  for  all,  the  instructor  com- 
mands : 

i.  Rear  rank,  to  the  right  (left),  2.  UNCOVER. 


>o 


1 


(ft 


52         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

At  the  command  uncover  each  rear  rank  file 
stride-jumps  squarely  into  the  middle  of  the  interval 
on  the  right.  In  doing  this  he  swings  his  right  leg 
sideward,  and  thrusting  his  body  off  with  the  left 
foot,  he  lights  on  his  right  foot  and  brings  his  left 
heel  smartly  against  his  right  with  a  click.  Fig.  5. 

To  assemble  the  company,  the  instructor  com- 
mands : 

i.  Assemble  on  number  one,  2.  MARCH. 

At  the  command  march,  numbers  one  of  the  front 
rank  stand  fast,  the  others  return  to  their  original 
places  in  the  column  in  double  time. 

134.  At  the  option  of  the  instructor  other  for- 
mations may  be  used,  such  as  the  drill  regulations 
prescribe,  as  taking  distance  or  taking  intervals. 


SECTION  VIII 
STARTING  POSITIONS 

PARAGRAPH 

Starting  positions 135~137 

Disciplinary  exercises,  facings  and  salute  .     138-140 

135.  Starting  Positions.  These  are  the  posi- 
tions from  which  the  various  exercises  originate  and 
terminate. 

In  nearly  all  arm  exercises  it  is  necessary  to  as- 
sume one  of  these  starting  positions. 

In  performing  exercises  with  other  parts  of  the 
body  they  are  used  as  aids;  to  add  difficulty  to  a 
movement;  or  to  give  to  a  movement,  in  which  the 
arms  are  not  employed,  a  uniform,  finished  appear- 
ance. 

(i)   i.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Arms,  4.  DOWN. 
Fig.  6. 

At  raise,  the  arms,  fully  extended,  are  raised  smartly  to  the 
front  horizontal ;  palms  of  hands  down,  fingers  closed  and  ex- 
tended, thumbs  under  the  index  fingers.  Distance  between 
hands  is  the  width  of  the  chest. 

At  down,  the  arms  are  lowered  smartry  to  the  position  of  at- 
tention, without  allowing  them  to  touch  the  sides,  however. 

The  recovery  of  the  position  of  attention  must 
always  be  precise  and  smart  and  be  accompanied  by 
a  slight  elevation  of  the  chest,  which  gives  it  a  de- 

53 


56         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

cided  military  appearance  and  makes  for  control 
and  discipline. 

THIS  RULE  IS  GENERAL. 

(2)  i.  Arms  sideward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Arms,  4.  DOWN. 

Fig.  7. 

At  raise,  the  arms  are  raised  smartly  to  the  side  horizontal, 
palms  down,  fingers  and  thumbs  as  before. 

(3)  i.  Arms  forward-upward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Arms,  4. 

DOWN.    Fig.  8. 

At  raise,  the  arms,  fully  extended,  are  raised  forward  and 
upward  until  they  are  perpendicular.  Elbows  are  straight, 
arms  pressed  back  well,  palms  turned  in,  the  distance  between 
them  being  the  width  of  the  chest,  fingers  and  thumbs  as  be- 
fore. In  this  position  the  arms  and  the  entire  spine  should 
be  stretched  upward  as  much  as  possible. 

At  down,  the  arms  are  lowered  smartly  to  the  sides  with  a 
forward  motion. 

(4)  i.  Arms  sideward-upward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Arms,  4. 

DOWN. 

At  raise,  the  arms  are  raised  to  the  same  perpendicular  posi- 
tion with  a  lateral  motion. 

At  down,  they  are  lowered  laterally. 

(5)  i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Arms,  4.  DOWN. 

Fig.  9. 

At  place,  the  elbows  are  flexed  smartly  tind  the  hands  placed 
on  the  hips,  thumbs  to  the  rear,  finger  tips  in  line  with  the  side 
trouser  seams,  elbows  well  back. 

At  down,  the  position  of  attention  is  resumed  smartly. 

(6)  i.  Arms  to  thrust,  2.  RAISE,  3.  Arms,  4.  DOWN. 

Fig.  10. 

At  raise,  the  forearms  are  flexed  and  raised  to  the  horizon- 
tal, elbows  back,  hands  closed  tightly,  knuckles  down  and  in 
the  plane  of  the  front  of  the  body;  distance  between  hands 
the  width  of  chest. 

At  down,  recover  position  of  attention  smartly. 


/Yg.  9 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          59 

(7)  i.  Hands  on   shoulders,   2.   PLACE.  3.   Arms,   4. 

DOWN.     Fig.  ii. 

At  place,  the  arms,  flexed  at  the  elbows,  are  raised  smartly 
with  a  lateral  motion;  wrist  flexed  and  finger  tips  touching 
shoulders  lightly,  upper  arms  horizontal,  elbows  back. 

At  down,  the  arms  are  lowered  quickly  with  a  forward 
movement. 

(8)  i.  Fingers  in  rear  of  head,  2.  LACE.  3.  Arms,  4. 

DOWN.    Fig.  12. 

At  lace,  flex  and  raise  the  arms  laterally  as  in  7,  lacing  the 
fingers  in  rear  of  the  head,  elbows  up  at  an  angle  of  45  de- 
grees, and  pressed  well  back. 

At  down,  the  arms  are  lowered  directly  forward  and  down- 
ward. 

136.  These  positions  should  be  practiced  fre- 
quently until  they  are  performed  accurately,  snap- 
pily  and  precisely.    They  have  been  called  the  "man- 
ual of  arms"  of  the  physical  training  drill  and  hold 
the  same  position  with  respect  to  their  disciplinary 
value  that  the  rifle   manual  does  in  the  military 
drills. 

In  all  of  them  the  position  of  the  trunk,  chest 
and  head  must  not  be  deranged. 

137.  For  the  sake  of  variety  and  to  develop 
smartness  and  snap  and  precision  the  men  should  be 
caused  to  go  from  one  of  these  positions  to  an- 
other.   For  instance : 

i.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Sideward,  4.  MOVE.  5. 
Upward,  6.  RAISE.  7.  Hands  on  shoulders,  8.  PLACE. 
9.  On  hips,  10.  PLACE.  11.  To  thrust,  12.  MOVE.  13. 
Arms,  14.  DOWN. 

The  command  of  execution  should  fit  the  move- 
ment, thus,  all  changes  in  the  horizontal  plane  are 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          61 

performed  at  the  command  move;  a  change  from 
the  horizontal  to  the  perpendicular  at  the  command 
raise;  from  the  perpendicular  plane  to  the  hori- 
zontal at  the  command  lower  and  when  the  hands 
come  in  contact  with  the  body  at  the  command 
place. 

138.  Disciplinary   Exercises.     These,    besides 
the  starting  positions,  include  the  facings  and  the 
hand  salute. 

(1)  i.  By  the  numbers,  2.  Right  (left),  3.  FACE.  4. 

TWO.     Fig.  13. 

At  face,  the  body  is  turned  to  the  right  (left)  on  the  right 
(left)  heel  and  the  ball  of  the  left  (right)  foot.  In  turning 
the  spine  is  well  extended,  chest  arched  and  chin  up;  the 
left  (right)  knee  is  extended,  the  toes  of  the  rear  foot  touch- 
ing the  ground  lightly. 

At  two,  the  rear  foot  is  brought  up  smartly,  the  heels  be- 
ing brought  together  with  a  distinct  click. 

(2)  I.  By  the  numbers,  2.  About,  3.  FACE.  4.  TWO. 

Fig.  14. 

At  face,  the  ball  of  the  right  foot,  knee  extended,  is  placed 
about  half  a  foot-length  to  the  rear  and  slightly  to  the  left 
of  the  left  heel.  The  spine  is  well  extended,  chest  and  chin 
up. 

At  two,  the  body  is  turned  about  smartly  on  the  heel  of  the 
left  and  the  ball  of  the  right  foot,  without  deranging  the 
position  of  the  trunk  or  head  and  without  allowing  the  arms 
to  swing. 

When  the  principles  of  these  facings  are  under- 
stood and  properly  executed  they  are  performed 
without  the  numbers. 

In  order  to  inculcate  smartness  the  heels  should 
always  be  brought  together  with  a  sharp  click. 

139.  Hand  salute.     This  is  the  courtesy  that  is 
extended  between  men  of  the  service.    It  should  be 


Ftg.14- 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          63 

impressed  upon  the  men  that  it  is  a  courtesy,  manda- 
tory upon  all  grades  and  not  a  sign  of  inferiority. 
It  is  also  an  outward  expression  of  discipline.  The 
salute  should  always  be  rendered  smartly  and  snap- 
pily,  with  head  up  and  eyes  upon  the  officer  saluted. 
A  junior  will  always  salute  a  senior,  maintaining 
the  position  of  the  salute  until  it  is  acknowledged. 

The  distance  a  salute  should  be  rendered  in  need 
never  exceed  30  paces. 

Whenever  in  doubt  it  will  be  well  to  err  upon 
the  side  of  courtesy. 

At  the  command : 

i.  Hand,  2.  SALUTE.  3.  TWO.    Fig.  15. 

At  salute,  the  right  hand,  flexed  at  the  elbow,  is  raised 
vertically  till  the  finger  tip  of  the  index  finger  is  brought  in 
contact  with  the  head  dress  slightly  above  and  in  a  direct  line 
with  the  corner  of  the  right  eye.  Fingers  are  extended  and 
joined,  the  thumb  under  the  index  finger;  palm  to  the  left, 
wrist  extended  in  prolongation  of  the  forearm,  which  is  in- 
clined at  an  angle  of  about  45  degrees ;  the  upper  arm  is 
moved  forward  about  30  degrees  from  the  body  and  the  elbow 
is  moved  out  slightly. 

140.  In  saluting  a  senior  on  the  right  or  left  the 
head  is  turned  in  the  direction  smartly,  the  trunk 
also  being  turned  slightly.  Head  and  trunk  are 
brought  to  the  original  position  smartly  as  the  hand 
is  being  lowered. 

For  the  sake  of  proper  execution  the  men  may 
be  caused  to  salute  to  the  right  and  left  at  command. 

i.     To  the  right  (left),  Hand,  2.  SALUTE.  3.  TWO. 

At  these  commands  the  salute  will  be  rendered 
45  degrees  to  the  right  or  left. 


Fig  j  51. 


SECTION  IX 
SETTING-UP  EXERCISES  FOR  RECRUITS 

PARAGRAPH 

What  the  course  comprises   ....  141-142 
Number    of    times    an    exercise    should   be 

performed 143 

Progressive  difficulty  and  how  obtained        .  144-147 

Terminology 148 

Respiration  and  its  relation  to  exercise        .  149-151 

Lessons 152-165 

141.  What     the     Course     Comprises.     The 

course  consists  of  one  preliminary  and  six  regular 
lessons.  Each  lesson  should  be  thoroughly  mastered 
before  an  advance  lesson  is  attempted. 

It  is  recommended  that  one  week  each  be  devoted 
to  the  preliminary  and  the  first  lesson,  and  two  weeks 
to  each  of  the  following  five. 

142.  Nothing  should  be  sacrificed  for  the  sake 
of  making  the  drill  spectacular;  the  physiological 
value  of  every  exercise  should  be  brought  out  fully 
and  the  disciplinary  value,  precision,  smartness,  ac- 
tivity and  unity  of  action  must  be  insisted  upon  con- 
sistently and  persistently. 

By  doing  this  instructors  will  lay  the  best  founda- 
tion for  the  ready  and  precise  acquirement  of  all 
other  drills. 

143.  The    Number   of   Times    an   Exercise 

65 


66         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

Should  Be  Performed.  This  has  not  been  pre- 
scribed, as  the  number  of  repetitions  any  body  of 
men  may  indulge  in  with  benefit  to  themselves  de- 
pends entirely  upon  the  strength,  condition  and  apti- 
tude of  the  men  and  upon  the  efficiency,  competence 
and  judgment  of  the  instructor,  who  will  find  that 
he  is  defeating  the  purpose  of  this  training  if  he 
fails  to  take  these  into  consideration  and  does  not 
proceed  carefully  and  progressively  both  as  to  the 
quantity  and  the  quality  of  the  task  he  is  exacting. 

144.  Progressive    Difficulty    and    How    Ob- 
tained.    In  general  the  amount  of  energy  required 
to  perform  an  exercise  may  be  progressively  in- 
creased by  increased  repetitions  or  increased  ca- 
dence.    When  this  is  done  the  increased  difficulty 
is  derived  from  increasing  the  action  of  the  same 
muscles. 

145.  Increased  difficulty  may  also  be  obtained 
by  adding  progressively  to  the  radius  of  action  of 
a  movement  or  by  changing  the  radius  in  conjunc- 
tion with  the  principal  movement. 

In  this  case  new  muscle  groups  are  employed  or 
greater  effort  is  demanded  by  those  already  engaged, 
on  account  of  the  wider  radius  they  are  caused  to 
cover. 

146.  Thus  in  the  trunk  exercise  the  part  about 
which  the  movement  takes  place  is  held  fixed  by  the 
hands  in  the  beginning;  when  sufficient  coordina- 
tion and  control  have  been  developed  and  these  parts 
can  be  controlled  without  the  aid  of  the  hands,  the 
radius  of  the  exercise  is  augmented  by  assuming 
certain  horizontal  or  perpendicular  positions  with 
the  arms. 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          67 

Finally,  difficulty  may  be  added  by  changing  the 
radius  of  action  from  one  plane  to  another,  or  from 
one  position  to  another  in  the  same  plane,  simulta- 
neously with  the  principal  movement. 

147.  From    the    beginning    the    men    must   be 
coached  to  develop  proper  coordination  and  sense 
of  rhythm  in  order  that  they  may  be  able  to  move 
any  part  of  the  body  independently  of  the  others, 
or  without  deranging  the  position  of  that  part  of 
the  body  that  is  not  employed. 

148.  Terminology.     In  order  to  simplify  the 
course  as  much  as  possible  technical  terms  have 
been  avoided  and  words  in  every-day  use  have  been 
substituted,  making  it  unnecessary  for  the  men  to 
memorize  a  lot  of  terms  that  mean  nothing  to  them. 

Instructors  should  confine  themselves  to  the  ter- 
minology used  in  this  manual;  if  substitutions  are 
made  they  should  be  along  the  lines  of  simplification, 
and  not  of  involution. 

All  preparatory  commands  should  be  sufficiently 
explanatory  to  convey  what  is  required  understand- 
ingly  to  even  those  of  less  than  average  intelligence. 

149.  Respiration  and  Its  Relation  to  Exer- 
cise.    This  is  important;  proper  breathing  should 
always  be  insisted  upon ;  holding  the  breath  or  im- 
peding natural  respiration  should  be  avoided. 

150.  Every  exercise  should,  if  possible,  be  ac- 
companied by  an  uninterrupted  act  of  respiration, 
the  inhalation  and  exhalation  of  which  depend  to  a 
great  extent  upon  the  nature  of  the  movement. 

Inhalation  should  accompany  those  movements 
that  tend  to  elevate  and  expand  the  thorax  and  ex- 


68         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

halation  those  that  exert  pressure  against  the  chest 
walls. 

151.  It  is  recommended  that  the  men  be  in- 
structed to  arch  and  elevate  the  chest  in  conjunc- 
tion with  every  movement  that  will  permit  this  being 
done.     "Chests  up"  is  even  more  important  than 
"heads  up"  as  the  latter  usually  results  from  doing 
the  former. 

152.  Preliminary  Lesson.      The  men  having 
formed  as  described  in  Paragraph  132,  the  instructor 
will  proceed  with  the  first  lesson. 

PRELIMINARY  LESSON. 

(A)  DISCIPLINARY  EXERCISES. 

v*V 

The  position  of  attention  (Par.  124) 
The  position  of  at  ease  (Par.  131) 
The  position  of  rest  (Par.  131) 
The  facings  (Par.  138) 

All  of  these  should  be  explained. 

(B)  THE  STARTING  POSITIONS  (Par.  135) 

(C)  SETTING-UP  EXERCISES. 

First  Exercise. 

I.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Swing  arms  sideward 
and  forward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Count  two,  and  perform 
moderately  fast. 

The  arms,  being  fully  extended,  palms  down,  are  swung 
sideward  and  to  the  rear  until  they  are  in  the  plane  of  the 
shoulder  without  deranging  the  position  of  the  body  or  head, 
and  back  to  the  front  horizontal ;  chest  is  elevated  with  side- 
ward motion. 

To  discontinue  any  exercise  that  is  performed  rhythm- 
ically or  in  cadence  command: 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          69 

I.  HALT,  in  place  of  the  last  count. 
At   that   cgmmand   the    starting   position   is   resumed. 
THIS  RULE  IS  GENERAL. 

To  resume  the  position  of  attention,  command: 
i.  Arms,  2.  DOWN. 


Second  Exercise. 

i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACED.  Rise  on  toes,  4.  EXER- 
CISE. Fig.  16.  Count  two,  with  the  accent  on  the  first 
count.  Performed  moderately  fast. 

The  body,  knees  fully  extended,  is  brought  smartly  to  the 
toes;  the  heels  are  lowered  gently.  When  the  body  is  raised 
the  chest  should  be  arched  and  elevated. 

Discontinue  as  in  the  first  lesson. 


Third  Exercise. 

i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Bend  neck  forward, 
4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  17.  Count  two,  perform  slowly, 
drawing  out  the  first  count. 

The  chin  is  drawn  in  and  the  neck  is  bent  forward  as  much 
as  possible,  without  raising  the  shoulders  or  bending  at  the 
waist.  When  the  neck  is  bent  the  chest  is  elevated. 

Discontinue  as  before. 


Fourth  Exercise. 

i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Bend  neck  backward, 
4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  18.  Count  two,  and  perform  as 
in  the  Third  Exercise. 

The  neck  is  bent  backward  at  the  base  as  far  as  possible, 
elevating  the  chin  as  little  as  possible,  and  keeping  shoulders 
square;  elevate  chest  on  first  count. 

Discontinue  as  before. 


72         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

Fifth  Exercise. 

I.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Turn  trunk  to  the 
right  (left).  Fig.  19.  Count  two,  perform  slowly,  draw- 
ing out  the  first  count. 

The  trunk  should  first  be  stretched  upward  and  the  chest 
elevated,  and  the  trunk  turned  to  the  right  as  far  as  possible, 
with  hips  fixed  firmly.  The  head  should  not  be  turned,  but 
move  with  the  trunk. 

Discontinue  as  before. 

Sixth  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  to  thrust,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Half  bend  knees, 
slowly,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  20.  Count  two,  accent  on 
second  count. 

The  heels  are  raised  and  the  knees  bent  outward,  point  of 
knees  over  toes,  until  the  legs  and  thighs  form  an  angle  of 
about  90  degrees.  The  recovery  is  moderately  fast.  Head, 
trunk  and  chest  erect. 

Discontinue  as  before. 

Seventh  Exercise. 

I.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Bend  trunk  forward 
with  back  arched,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  21.  Count  two, 
perform  slowly,  drawing  out  first  count;  recover  moder- 
ately fast. 

The  trunk  is  stretched  and  chest  elevated,  and  the  body  bent 
forward  as  far  as  possible,  the  back  arched,  head  remaining 
fixed. 

Discontinue  as  before. 

Eighth  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  to  thrust,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Move  shoulders  for- 
ward and  backward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  22.  Count  two, 
perform  slowly,  drawing  second  count. 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          75 

The  shoulders  are  moved  forward  and  stretched  back  and 
out  until  they  are  square.  The  chest  is  elevated  and  the  trunk 
stretched  on  the  second  count. 

Discontinue  as  before. 


Ninth  Exercise. 

i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Bend  trunk  sideward, 
right  (left),  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  23.  Count  two, 
perform  slowly,  drawing  out  first  count. 

The  trunk  is  stretched,  chest  elevated  and  the  body  bent 
sideward  as  far  as  possible  at  the  waist,  hips  are  fixed  and 
perpendicular,  the  back  is  arched  and  the  head  moves  with 
the  trunk. 

Discontinue  as  before. 


Tenth  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Stretch  arms  sideward, 
4.  EXERCISE.  Count  two,  perform  first  movement 
slowly  and  recover  smartly. 

Stretch  the  arms  sideward,  palms  up,  in  the  widest  possible 
radius,  until  they  are  on  a  level  with  and  in  the  plane  of  the 
shoulders,  stretching  the  trunk  and  elevating  the  chest. 

Discontinue  as  before. 


Eleventh  Exercise. 

i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Bend  trunk  back- 
ward, 4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  24.  Count  two,  perform 
slowly,  drawing  out  first  count. 

The  trunk  is  stretched,  chest  elevated  and  the  body  bent 
backward,  in  the  region  of  the  shoulder  blades,  as  far  as 
possible.  Hips  fixed  and  perpendicular,  abdomen  drawn  up 
well,  shoulders  square  and  head  fixed. 

Discontinue  as  before. 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL         77 

Twelfth  Exercise. 

i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Raise  knee  to  front 
horizontal,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  25.  Count  two,  perform 
slowly  but  smartly  when  used  as  a  balancing  exercise, 
but  quickly  when  used  as  a  leg  exercise. 

The  thigh,  leg  flexed  at  right  angles  to  it,  is  brought  to  the 
front  horizontal  smartly,  held  momentarily  and  lowered 
slowly,  trunk  erect  and  perpendicular. 

Discontinue  as  before. 

Breathing  Exercise. 

i.  Raising  arms  sideward-upward,  2.  INHALE.  4. 
Lowering  arms  sideward,  5.  EXHALE. 

At  inhale  the  arms  are  raised  laterally  with  a  long  inhala- 
tion and  held  in  the  perpendicular  momentarily;  at  exhale  the 
arms  are  brought  down  smartly  laterally  with  a  forcible  ex- 
halation. 

Note. — Men  should  be  cautioned  to  inhale  through  the 
nostrils;  and  exhale  through  the  mouth. 

(D)  MARCHING  EXERCISES. 

1.  Explanation    of    the    military    gait,    carriage 
and  arm  swings,  etc.     (Paragraphs  39-48.) 

2.  Marching  in  column  in  quick  time  and  halting. 

3.  Same,  marking  time  and  half  stepping. 

4.  Marching  on  toes. 

i.  On  toes,  2.  MARCH.  3.  Quick  time,  4.  MARCH. 

At  march  the  heels  are  raised  from  the  ground  and  the  leg 
is  swung  forward  in  the  full  step.  At  quick  time  the  ordinary 
march  is  resumed. 

In  all  exercises  in  marching  the  hands  should  be  placed 
on  the  hips  or  arms  held  in  the  thrust  position. 

(E)  DOUBLE  TIMING  EXERCISES. 

i.  Explanation   of   the   double   timing.      (Para- 
graphs 50-58.) 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          79 

2.  Marching  in  quick  time  and  changing  to  the 
double  and  back  again  to  quick  time  and 
halting. 

FIRST  LESSON 

A.  DISCIPLINARY  EXERCISES,  as  in  the  preliminary  les- 
son. 

B.  STARTING  POSITIONS,  as  in  the  preliminary  lesson. 

C.  SETTING-UP  EXERCISES. 

First  Exercise. 

I.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Swing  arms  sideward 
and  downward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Count  four;  accent  on 
one;  perform  moderately  fast. 

Arms  fully  extended  are  swung  to  the  side  horizontal 
(one) ;  back  to  the  front  horizontal  (two)  ;  downward  and 
backward  (three)  ;  to  the  front  horizontal  (four).  Palms 
are  down  and  the  chest  is  elevated  at  one  and  three. 

Second  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Rise  on  toes,  swing- 
ing arms  upward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  26.  Count  two; 
accent  on  one;  perform  moderately  fast. 

The  body  is  brought  to  the  toes  smartly  and  the  arms  swung 
upward  snappily,  palms  in  (one)  ;  heels  are  lowered  gently 
and  arms  brought  to  front  horizontal  (two). 

Third  Exercise. 

I.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Turn  head,  right  and 
left,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  27.  Count  four,  drawing  one 
and  three;  recover  moderately  fast. 

Turn  the  head  to  the  right,  chin  up  and  chest  elevated,  with- 
out deranging  the  shoulders  (one)  ;  recover  (two)  ;  the  same 
to  the  left  (three  and  four). 


82         KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 


Fourth  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Turn  trunk,  right  and 
left,  stretching  arms  sideward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  28. 
Count  four,  drawing  one  and  three;  recover  moderately 
fast. 

The  body  is  turned  as  in  Fig.  19  and  the  arms  are  stretched 
sideward,  palms  down  (one)  ;  recover  starting  position  (two)  ; 
repeat  to  the  left  (three  and  four). 

Fifth  Exercise. 

i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Rise  on  toes  and  full 
bend  knees,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  29.  Count  four,  ac- 
cent on  one. 

The  body  is  brought  to  the  toes  smartly ;  chest  elevated  and 
head  erect  (one) ;  the  knees  are  "separated  and  bent  slowly 
to  the  squatting  position  (two)  ;  knees  are  extended  (three) ; 
heels  lowered  (four). 

Sixth  Exercise. 

I.  Hands  on  shoulders,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Bend  trunk  for- 
ward, stretching  arms  sideward;  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig. 
30.  Count  two,  drawing  one;  recover  slowly. 

Bend  the  trunk  forward  as  in  Fig.  18  and  stretch  arms  to 
the  side  horizontal,  palms  down  (one) ;  recover  starting  posi- 
tion (two).  Back  is  arched  and  chest  raised. 

Seventh  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  sideward,  hands  closed,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Rotate 
arms  forward,  and  backward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  31. 
Count  two;  perform  moderately  fast. 

The  arms,  hands  closed,  are  rotated  forward  along  their 
long  axis,  as  far  as  possible  (one) ;  and  backward  as  far  as 
possible  (two). 


Fi8.3l 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          87 

Eighth   Exercise. 

i.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Bend  trunk  sideward, 
stretching  arms  sideward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  32. 
Count  two,  drawing  one;  perform  moderately  fast. 

Bend  the  trunk  as  in  Fig.  23  and  stretch  the  arms  from 
the  front  to  the  side  horizontal  (one)  ;  recover  starting  posi- 
tion (two).  Chest  elevated;  body  stretched;  head  moves  with 
the  body. 

Ninth  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

I.  Stretch  arms  forward,  sideward,  upward,  sideward, 
forward,  and  recover,  2.  EXERCISE.  Count  six;  per- 
form slowly;  recover  smartly. 

Arms  are  stretched  forward  to  their  fullest  extent,  palms 
down  (one)  ;  sideward,  palms  up  (two)  ;  upward,  palms  in 
(three) ;  sideward  (four) ;  forward  (five) ;  recover  attention 
(six). 

Tenth  Exercise. 

I.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Bend  trunk  backward 
stretching  arms  sideward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  33. 
Count  two,  drawing  one;  perform  slowly. 

Bend  the  trunk  as  in  Fig.  24  and  stretch  arms  to  the  side 
horizontal,  palms  down  (one) ;  recover  starting  position 
(two). 

Eleventh  Exercise. 

i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Extend  leg  forward 
and  backward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Figs.  34  and  35.  Count 
four;  perform  snappily,  holding  each  position  momen- 
tarily. 

Extend  the  leg  and  foot  forward  by  a  quick  contraction  of 
the  muscles,  toes  depressed  (one)  ;  close  heels  smartly  (two)  ; 
extend  the  leg  backward  the  same  way  (three)  ;  close  heels 
(four).  Trunk  erect;  chest  and  head  up. 


/Vg.32 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL          91 

Twelfth  Exercise. 

I.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Bend  knees  to  the 
squatting  position,  placing  hands  on  the  ground,  4.  EX- 
ERCISE. Fig.  36.  Count  two,  accenting  both  counts; 
perform  smartly,  holding  position  momentarily  (one) ; 
recover  starting  position  (two). 

Breathing  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

i.  Raising  arms  forward-upward,  2.  INHALE.  3.  Low- 
ering arms  sideward  smartly,  4.  EXHALE. 

(D)  MARCHING  EXERCISES. 

1.  Marching  in  quick  time  as  in  the  preliminary  exer- 
cise. 

2.  I.    Arms  to  thrust,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Raising  knees  for- 
ward, 4.  MARCH.  5.  Quick  time,  6.  MARCH.    The  knees 
are  raised  to  the  horizontal,  toes  depressed. 

3.  i.  Arms  to  thrust,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Thrust  arms  for- 
ward, 4.  EXERCISE.  5.  Quick  time,  6.  MARCH. 

The  arms  are  thrust  forward  on  the  left  foot  and  returned 
to  the  starting  position  on  the  right  foot.  This  rule  is  gen- 
eral ;  every  initial  movement  begins  on  the  left  foot. 

4.  i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Raising  heels,  4. 
MARCH,   5.   Quick  time,   6.   MARCH.     The  heels  are 
raised  until  the  leg  is  horizontal. 

(E)  DOUBLE  TIMING  EXERCISES. 

1.  Double  time  as  in  first  lesson. 

2.  i.  Arms    to    thrust,    2.    RAISE.    3.    On    toes,    4. 
MARCH,  5.  Double  time,  6.  MARCH.     Heels  are  kept 
off  the  ground. 

3.  i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Raising  heels,  4. 
MARCH,  5.  Double  time,  6.  MARCH. 

(F)  RESTORATIVE  EXERCISES. 

i.  Breathing  exercise,  raising  and  lowering  arms  lat- 
erally. 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL         93 

SECOND  LESSON 
First  Exercise. 

A.  DISCIPLINARY  EXERCISES. 

B.  STARTING  POSITIONS. 

C.  SETTING-UP  EXERCISES. 

i.  Hands  on  shoulders,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Extend  arms 
forward  and  swing  sideward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Count  four, 
accenting  one  and  four;  perform  moderately  fast. 

The  arms  are  extended  forward,  palms  down  (one)  ;  swung 
to  the  side  horizontal  (two)  ;  to  front  horizontal  (three)  ; 
recover  starting  position  (four).  Chest  is  elevated  with  side 
swing  and  elbows  are  brought  back  smartly  with  the  recovery. 

Second  Exercise. 

i.  Hands  on  shoulders,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Rise  on  toes,  ex- 
tending arms  upward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  26.  Count 
two,  accenting  one;  perform  snappily. 

Rise  on  toes  and  extend  arms  upward,  palms  in  (one)  ;  re- 
cover starting  position  (two).  The  trunk  is  stretched  with 
the  upward  movement. 

Third  Exercise. 

i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Bend  neck  forward 
and  backward,  and  turn  head  to  the  right  and  left,  4. 
EXERCISE.  Figs.  17,  18  and  27.  Count  eight,  draw- 
ing all  odd  counts.  Perform  as  described  in  the  prelim- 
inary and  first  lessons. 

Fourth  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  sideward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Turn  trunk,  right  and 
left,  stretching  arms  upward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  37. 
Count  four,  drawing  one;  perform  slowly. 

Turn  the  trunk  as  in  Fig.  19  and  stretch  arms  upward, 
palms  in  (one) ;  recover  starting  position  (two) ;  repeat 
to  the  left  (three  and  four). 


I 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL         95 

Fifth  Exercise. 

I.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Full  bend  knees,  swing- 
ing arms  sideward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  38.  Count  two, 
accenting  one  and  two;  perform  smartly. 

Bend  the  knees  to  the  squatting  position  and  swing  the  arms 
to  the  side  horizontal,  palms  up  (one)  ;  recover  starting  posi- 
tion (two).  Chest  is  elevated  with  sideward  swing;  head 
erect. 

Sixth  Exercise. 

i.  Fingers  in  rear  of  head,  2.  LACE.  3.  Bend  trunk 
forward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  39.  Count  two,  drawing 
one;  recover  smartly. 

The  body  is  stretched  upward  from  the  waist,  chest  elevated, 
and  then  bent  forward  (one)  ;  recover  the  starting  position 
smartly  (two).  Elbows  remain  in  the  horizontal  in  the  for- 
ward movement. 

Seventh  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  to  thrust,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Move  shoulders  for- 
ward, upward,  backward  and  recover,  4.  EXERCISE. 
Count  four,  drawing  all  but  the  last  count;  recover 
smartly. 

Relax  and  move  shoulders  forward  (one)  ;  raise  them  in 
that  position  (two)  ;  force  them  well  back  (three)  ;  lowered 
to  starting  position  (four). 

Eighth  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  sideward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Bend  trunk  sideward, 
right  and  left,  stretching  arms  upward,  4.  EXERCISE. 
Fig.  40.  Count  four,  drawing  one  and  three;  recover 
smartly. 

Bend  the  body  sideward  as  in  Fig.  23,  and  stretch  the  arms 
upward  (one) ;  recover  starting  position  (two)  ;  repeat  to 
the  left  (three  and  four).  The  trunk  is  stretched  from  the 
waist  as  the  arms  are  raised. 


ioo       KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 


Ninth  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

I.  Flex  forearms  vertically  and  extend  arms  upward, 
2.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  41.  Count  four,  accenting  all 
counts;  perform  quickly  and  snappily. 

Flex  forearms,  palms  in  (one) ;  extend  arms  upward 
(two) ;  return  to  flexed  position  (three)  ;  recover  attention 
(four). 

Tenth  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Bend  trunk  backward, 
raising  arms  forward-upward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  42. 
Count  two,  drawing  one;  perform  slowly. 

Raise  arms  forward-upward,  turning  palms  in,  and  bend  the 
trunk  backward  (one)  ;  recover  starting  position  (two).  The 
trunk  and  arms  should  be  fully  extended;  chest  up;  head 
moving  with  the  trunk. 

Eleventh  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Extend  right  and  left 
leg  backward,  stretching  arms  sideward,  4.  EXERCISE. 
Fig.  43.  Count  four,  accenting  one  and  three;  perform 
snappily  and  hold  position  momentarily;  recover  quickly. 

The  leg  should  remain  fully  extended,  toes  depressed,  and 
the  arms  should  be  stretched  sideward  in  the  plane  of  the 
shoulders,  palms  up.  Chest  is  elevated  and  back  arched  with 
first  movement. 

Twelfth  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

i.  Bend  to  squatting  position,  hands  on  the  ground, 
2.  BEND.  Fig.  36.  3.  Extend  right  and  left  legs  back- 
ward, 4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  44.  Count  four,  accenting 
one  and  three;  perform  moderately  fast. 

The  leg  is  extended  to  the  rear  smartly  (one) ;  recover 
squatting  position  (two)  ;  repeat  with  left  leg  (three  and 
four). 


• : : 

*••  ! 


KOEHLER'S  WEST 


Breathing  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

I.  Stretching  arms  obliquely  sideward-upward,  2.  IN- 
HALE. 3.  Lowering  arms  to  attention  smartly,  4.  EX- 
HALE. 

(D)  MARCHING  EXERCISES. 

I.  Repeat  marching  in  quick  time,  etc.,  as  in  the  pre- 
liminary lesson.  2.  Hands  on  hips,  3.  PLACE.  4.  Swinging 
extended  leg  forward  ankle  high,  5.  MARCH.  6.  Quick 
time,  7.  MARCH.  Fig.  34.  Count  two,  perform  smartly. 

The  leg,  fully  extended,  toes  depressed,  is  swung  forward 
smartly  until  the  foot  is  ankle  high. 

I.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Swing  arms  sideward, 
4.  EXERCISE.  5.  Quick  time,  6.  MARCH.  Count  two, 
accenting  one  ;  perform  smartly,  elevating  chest  with  first 
movement. 

(E)  JUMPING  EXERCISES. 

1.  Preliminary  jumping  exercises.     Figs.  45  and  46. 

Raise  arms  forward  and  rise  on  toes;  swing  arms  down- 
ward to  the  rear  and  bend  knees  ;  swing  arms  to  front  hori- 
zontal and  extend  knees  quickly  to  the  on-toes  position;  re- 
cover attention  smartly. 

Repeat,  counting  four. 

2.  Repeat  the  above,  jumping  in  place.     Fig.  47. 

As  the  feet  leave  the  ground,  the  toes  are  closed,  legs  ex- 
tended, back  arched  and  head  up.  In  alighting  the  toes  are 
turned  out,  knees  are  bent,  and  the  arms  are  in  the  front 
horizontal  (Fig.  45)  ;  the  recover  to  the  position  of  attention 
is  performed  quickly  and  smartly. 

(F)  DOUBLE  TIMING  EXERCISES. 

1.  Double  time  as  in  the  preliminary  exercises. 

2.  Double  time,  raising  knees   forward. 

3.  Swinging  extended  leg  forward. 

(G)  RESTORATIVE  EXERCISES. 

i.  Breathing  exercises,  raising  arms  forward  and  low- 
ering them  laterally. 


io6        KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 


THIRD  LESSON. 

(A)  DISCIPLINARY  EXERCISES,  as  in  the  other  lessons. 

(B)  STARTING  POSITIONS,  as  in  the  other  lessons. 

(C)  SETTING-UP  EXERCISES. 

First  Exercise. 

I.  Right  arm  forward-upward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Swing 
right  arm  downward  and  left  upward  and  recover,  4. 
EXERCISE.  Fig.  48.  Count  two,  accenting  both  counts ; 
perform  moderately  fast.  Right  arm  is  swung  down  and 
left  up  (one)  ;  left  down  and  right  up  (two). 

The  arms  must  remain  fully  extended,  palms  in,  and  swung 
as  far  to  the  rear  as  possible  without  deranging  the  position 
of  the  trunk  or  head. 

Second  Exercise. 

I.  Arms  to  thrust,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Hopping  on  toes,  4. 
EXERCISE.  Count  two,  accenting  both  counts;  per- 
form quickly. 

Knees  remain  extended,  the  thrust  coming  from  the  toes, 
heels  free  from  the  ground.  Trunk  is  extended,  chest  and 
head  elevated. 

Third  Exercise. 

I.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Repeat  head  turnings 
and  neck  bendings. 

Fourth  Exercise. 

I.  Arms  upward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Turn  trunk  right  and 
left,  stretching  arms  to  side  horizontal,  palms  down,  4. 
EXERCISE.  Fig.  28.  Count  four,  drawing  one  and 
three;  recover  moderately  fast. 

Turn  the  trunk  as  in  Fig.  19,  stretching  arms  fully  to  side 
horizontal  (one) ;  recover  starting  position  (two) ;  repeat  to 
the  left  (three  and  four). 


io8        KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 


Fifth  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  to  thrust,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Quarter,  half  and  full 
bend  knees,  thrusting  arms  sideward,  4.  EXERCISE. 
Count  four,  accenting  three;  perform  moderately  fast. 

Quarter  bend  knees  (one)  ;  lower  to  half  bend  (two) ; 
lower  to  full  bend  and  thrust  arms  sideward  (three)  ;  recover 
starting  position  (four).  Arms  must  not  be  moved  until  the 
full  bend  is  taken,  then  they  should  be  thrust  out  smartly  and 
returned  smartly  in  the  recovery. 

Sixth  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Bend  trunk  forward, 
stretching  arms  sideward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  30. 
Count  two,  drawing  one;  perform  slowly. 

Elevate  the  chest  and  bend  forward,  stretching  arms  to  side 
horizontal,  knuckles  up  (one) ;  recover  starting  position 
(two). 

Seventh  Exercise. 

From  attention : 

i.  Flex  shoulders  forward  and  stretch  them  backward, 
2.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  49.  Count  two,  drawing  two;  per- 
form slowly. 

The  shoulders  are  relaxed  and  moved  forward  and  in,  arms 
rotated  inward  (one)  ;  roll  the  shoulders  back  until  they  are 
square,  rotating  arms  outward  and  elevating  chest  (two). 

Eighth  Exercise. 

I.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Bend  trunk  sideward, 
right  and  left,  extending  opposite  arm  upward,  4.  EXER- 
CISE. Fig.  50.  Count  four,  drawing  one  and  three;  re- 
cover smartly. 

Bend  trunk,  fully  stretched  from  the  waist,  to  the  right  and 
extend  left  arm  upward  slowly  (one) ;  recover  starting  posi- 
tion (two) ;  repeat  to  the  left  (three  and  four). 


/K 


i io        KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

Ninth  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

i.  Flex  arms  horizontally  and  fling  them  sideward, 
2.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  51.  Count  four,  accenting  one  and 
three;  perform  quickly  and  snappily. 

The  forearms  with  elbows  well  up  (one)  ;  fling  them  to  the 
side  horizontal,  palms  down  (two) ;  recover  flexed  posi- 
tion (three);  and  attention  (four). 

i.  Arms  sideward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Bend  trunk  backward, 
stretching  arms  upward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  42.  Count 
two,  drawing  one;  recover  slowly. 

Chest  is  raised  and  trunk  stretched  upward  with  the  arm 
movement  as  the  trunk  is  bent  backward. 

Eleventh  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

i.  Raise  leg  and  arms  forward;  swing  leg  backward 
and  arms  sideward  and  recover  in  reverse  order,  2.  EX- 
ERCISE. Figs.  52  and  43.  Count  eight,  accenting  all 
counts;  perform  smartly,  holding  each  position  momen- 
tarily. 

Arms  and  leg  are  brought  forward  smartly  (one)  ;  leg 
is  swung  to  the  rear  and  arms  sideward  (two)  ;  recover  first 
position  (three)  ;  and  recover  attention  (four).  Repeat  to 
the  left,  counting  from  five  to  eight.  This  should  be  per- 
formed smartly  and  accurately;  as  the  leg  is  swung  back  the 
chest  is  elevated. 

Twelfth  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

i.  Bend  to  the  squatting  position,  hands  on  the  ground, 
Fig.  36,  2.  BEND.  3.  Extend  both  legs  backward  to  the 
leaning  rest  and  recover  the  squatting  position,  4.  EX- 
ERCISE. Fig.  53.  Count  two,  accenting  one;  perform 
slowly. 

Legs  arc  extended  backward  (one) ;  recover  squatting  posi- 
tion (two).  As  the  legs  are  extended  backward  the  head  and 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL        113 

shoulders  should  be  moved  forward  over  the  hands  in  order 
to  get  the  support  well  under  the  body.    Body  is  kept  rigid. 

Breathing  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

I.  Rise  on  toes,  stretching  arms  forward-upward,  2. 
INHALE.  3.  Lower  heels,  and  arms  laterally,  4.  EX- 
HALE. 

(D)     MARCHING  EXERCISES: 

1.  Repeat  ordinary  quick  time  marching,  half  stepping 
and  marking  time. 

2.  Swinging    extended    leg    forward,    knee    high,    2. 
MARCH.  3.  Quick  time,  4.  MARCH.     Count  two.     The 
leg  is  swung  forward  as  in  the  Second  Lesson. 

3.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Bend  trunk  forward, 
4.  EXERCISE.  5.  Quick  time,  6.  MARCH.    Count  two; 
perform  in  slow  cadence. 

Bend  trunk  forward  as  the  left  foot  strikes  the  ground 
(one)  ;  raise  the  trunk  as  the  right  is  planted  (two). 

E.  JUMPING  EXERCISES. 

1.  Repeat  the  exercises  in  the  Second  Lesson. 

2.  Standing  broad  jump: 
I.  Ready,  2.  JUMP. 

At  ready  the  arms  are  brought  to  the  front  horizontal  and 
the  body  is  raised  on  toes;  at  jump  the  jump  is  performed 
and  the  position  of  attention  is  resumed.  As  it  is  the  in- 
tention to  teach  form  and  control,  these  jumps  should  not 
be  more  than  about  4  feet. 

3.  Three  successive  jumps. 

These  are  to  be  performed  without  pausing. 

F.  DOUBLE  TIMING  EXERCISES. 

1.  Repeat  the  exercise  of  the  Second  Lesson. 

2.  Swinging    extended    leg    forward    knee    high,    2. 
MARCH.  3.  Quick  time,  4.  MARCH. 

3.  Crossing    legs,    2.    MARCH.    3.    Quick    time,   4. 
MARCH.    Legs  are  well  crossed  without  deranging  the 
trunk. 


114        KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

G.    RESTORATIVE  EXERCISES: 

1.  Raise  and  lower  knees  slowly,  muscles  relaxed. 

2.  Breathing  exercise. 

H.    CONTESTS  :. 

1.  Single  pole  pushing.     Par.  185. 

2.  Cock  fight.     Par.  189. 

FOURTH  LESSON 
First  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  to  thrust,  2.  RAISE,  3.  Thrust  arms  upward; 
swing  downward,  and  recover,  4.  EXERCISE.  Count 
four,  accenting  one  and  four;  perform  smartly. 

Thrust  arms  upward,  knuckles  out  (one)  ;  swing  them 
downward  (two)  ;  swing  them  upward  (three)  ;  recover 
thrusting  position  (four).  Body  must  remain  stable  and 
erect. 

Second  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Rise  on  toes,  swinging 
arms  downward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  54.  Count  two, 
accenting  one;  perform  snappily. 

Rise  on  toes  and  swing  arms  backward,  palms  in,  elevating 
chest  (one) ;  recover  starting  position  (two). 

Third  Exercise. 

i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE,  i.  Repeat  neck  bendings 
and  head  turnings. 

Fourth  Exercise. 

i.  To  side  straddle,  arms  sideward,  2.  HOP.  3.  Turn 
trunk  right  and  left,  lacing  fingers  in  rear  of  head,  3. 
EXERCISE.  Fig.  55.  Count  two,  drawing  one;  re- 
cover smartly. 

Turn  trunk  right  and  lace  fingers  behind  the  head  (one) ; 
recover  starting  position  (two)  ;  repeat  to  the  left  (three  and 
four).  Distance  between  heels  in  the  straddle  is  about  30 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL        117 

inches.    Elbows  are  up  and  well  pressed  back,  chest  elevated 
and  head  up. 

To  recover  the  position  of  attention  from  the  straddle, 
command : 

i.  To  the  position  of  attention,  2.  HOP. 

Fifth  Exercise. 

i.  To  the  side  straddle,  hands  on  hips,  2.  HOP.  3.  Rise 
on  toes  and  bend  knees  slowly,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  56. 
Count  four,  accenting  one  and  four  and  drawing  two  and 
three. 

Rise  on  toes  smartly,  chest  up  (one)  ;  bend  knees  as  low 
as  possible  slowly  (two)  ;  extend  knees  slowly  (three) ;  lower 
heels  (four). 

Sixth  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Bend  trunk  forward, 
swinging  arms  downward  and  upward,  4.  EXERCISE. 
Fig.  57.  Count  two,  accenting  both  counts;  perform 
smartly. 

Bend  trunk  forward,  swinging  arms  downward,  and  up- 
ward to  the  rear  as  far  as  possible  (one)  ;  recover  starting 
position  smartly  (two). 

Seventh  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  to  thrust,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Thrust  right  arm 
down,  left  upward,  recover,  and  reverse.  Fig.  58.  Count 
four,  accenting  one  and  three;  perform  quickly  and  for- 
cibly. 

Thrust  right  down  and  left  up  (one)  ;  recover  thrusting 
position  (two) ;  thrust  right  up  and  left  down  (three) ;  re- 
cover thrusting  position  (four). 

Eighth  Exercise. 

i.  To  side  straddle,  arms  sideward,  2.  HOP.  3.  Bend 
trunk  sideward,  right  and  left,  stretching  arms  upward,  4. 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL        119 

EXERCISE.    Fig.  59.    Count  four,  drawing  the  first  and 
third  counts;  recover  smartly. 

Bend  trunk  right  and  stretch  arms  upward  (one)  ;  recover 
starting  position  (two) ;  repeat  to  the  left  at  (three  and 
four). 

Ninth  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

i.  Swing  arms,  forward,  sideward,  upward,  sideward, 
forward  and  downward.  Count  six,  accenting  all  counts; 
perform  quickly. 

Arms  are  swung  forward  (one)  ;  sideward  (two)  ;  up- 
ward (three) ;  sideward  (four)  ;  forward  (five)  and  down- 
ward (six). 

Tenth  Exercise. 

i.  Hands  on  shoulders,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Bend  trunk  back- 
ward, stretching  arms  sideward,  palms  down,  4.  EXER- 
CISE. Fig.  33.  Count  two,  drawing  one;  recover 
smartly. 

Arms  are  stretched  slowly  but  fully  and  as  the  trunk  is  be- 
ing bent  back. 

Eleventh  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

i.  Stride  forward  left,  arms  forward;  stretch  arms 
sideward  and  raise  right  leg  backward ;  recover  stride  po- 
sition; and  resume  position  of  attention,  2.  EXERCISE. 
Figs.  60  and  43.  Count  eight,  accenting  two  and  six; 
perform  smartly  and  hold  each  position  momentarily. 

Stride,  20  inches,  forward  left  and  raise  arms  forward 
(one)  ;  and  raise  right  leg  backward  (two)  ;  lower  right  leg 
and  move  arms  forward  (three)  ;  recover  attention  (four)  ; 
repeat  with  right  stride  from  (five  to  eight).  Chest  elevated, 
head  up,  back  arched. 

Twelfth  Exercise. 
From  attention: 

i.  Leaning  rest  and  recover,  2.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  53. 
Count  four,  accenting  all  counts;  perform  smartly. 


122       KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

Bend  to  squatting  position,  hands  on  the  ground,  Fig.  36, 
(one)  ;  extend  legs  backward  to  leaning  rest  (two)  ;  recover 
squatting  position  (three)  ;  recover  attention  (four). 

Breathing  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

i.  Raise  arms  sideward,  upward,  2.  INHALE.  3.  Cross 
arms  over  head  and  lower  forward  smartly,  4.  EXHALE. 

(D)     MARCHING  EXERCISES. 

1.  Repeat  the  last  lesson. 

2.  I.  Swing    extended    leg    forward    waist    high,    2. 
MARCH.  3.   Quick  time,  4.   MARCH.     Count  t>vo,  ac- 
centing one;  perform  smartly. 

3.  i.  Raise  knee  and  extend  leg  forward,  2.  MARCH. 

3.  Quick   time,   4.   MARCH.     Count   six,   accenting   all 
counts;  perform  in  slow  cadence. 

4.  i.  Arms  to  thrust,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Thrust  arms  for- 
ward and  sideward,  4.  EXERCISE.    Count  four,  accent- 
ing all  counts. 

E.  JUMPING  EXERCISES. 

1.  Repeat  last  lesson. 

2.  Stan'ding  hop  and  jump. 

3.  Standing  hop,  step  and  jump. 

F.  DOUBLE  TIMING  EXERCISES. 

1.  Repeat  last  lesson. 

2.  i.  Swing  leg  backward,  2.  MARCH.  3.  Quick  time, 

4.  MARCH.    The  extended  leg  is  raised  backward. 

3.  i.  Galloping  on  the  right,  left,  foot,  2.  MARCH.  3. 
Double  time,  4.  MARCH.    The  right  foot  is  advanced  as 
the  left  foot  is  brought  up  to  it. 

G.  RESTORATIVE  EXERCISES. 

1.  Bend  trunk   forward   and  backward,   leisurely   and 
relaxed. 

2.  Breathing  exercises  as  above. 

H.    CONTESTS. 

1.  Double  pole  pushing.     Par.  186. 

2.  One  legged  tug.    Par.  190. 


124        KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 


FIFTH  LESSON. 

(A)  DISCIPLINARY  EXERCISES,  as  in  the  previous  les- 
sons. 

(B)  STARTING  POSITIONS,  as  in  the  previous  lessons. 

(C)  SETTING-UP  EXERCISES. 

First  Exercise. 

I.  Arms  upward,  2.  RAISE,  i.  Circle  arms  inward  and 
outward,  2.  EXERCISE.  Count  four,  accenting  all 
counts;  perform  moderately  fast. 

Arms,  relaxed  at  shoulders,  are  crossed  over  head  and 
swung  in  a  complete  circle  downward,  parallel  with  front  of 
body,  back  to  the  starting  position  (one) ;  pause  in  the  over- 
head position  (two)  ;  they  are  then  swung  outward  and  down- 
ward and  upward  in  front  of  the  body,  to  the  starting  posi- 
tion (three) ;  pause  in  the  over-head  position  (four).  These 
circles  may  also  be  made  continuous  in  either  direction. 

Second  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

i.  Hop  to  the  side  straddle  on  toes,  swinging  arms 
sideward-upward,  and  recover,  2.  EXERCISE.  Count 
two,  accenting  both  counts;  perform  quickly. 

Legs  are  separated  by  hopping  to  the  side  straddle  on  toes, 
arms  swinging  upward  laterally  (one)  ;  legs  are  closed, 
remaining  on  toes,  and  arms  are  lowered  laterally  (two). 

Third  Exercise. 

i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  Repeat  the  neck  exer- 
cises. 

Fourth  Exercise. 

1.  To  side  straddle,  arms  forward,  fingers  laced,  2. 
HOP.  3.  Turn  trunk  right  and  left  and  swing  arms  side- 
ward, 4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  61.  Count  four,  accenting 
all  counts;  perform  moderately  slow. 


126        KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

Turn  trunk  to  the  right,  forcing  the  laced  hands  as  far 
as  possible  to  the  right  (one)  ;  recover  starting  position 
(two)  ;  repeat  to  the  left  (three  and  four). 

Feet  remain  on  ground  firmly  and  the  knees  remain  fully 
extended;  chest  and  head  up.  May  also  be  taken  in  two 
counts;  one  right,  two  left. 

Fifth  Exercise. 

i.  To  the  squatting  position  with  hands  on  hips,  2. 
BEND.  3.  Extend  knees  slowly,  stretching  arms  upward 
and  recover  smartly,  4.  EXERCISE.  Figs.  29  and  26. 
Count  two,  drawing  the  first  count. 

Extend  knees  slowly  to  "on  toes"  position,  stretching  arms 
and  trunk  upward,  palms  in  (one)  ;  recover  the  squatting  po- 
sition smartly  (two). 

Sixth  Exercise. 

I.  To  the  side  straddle,  arms  upward,  2.  HOP.  3.  Bend 
trunk  forward,  swinging  arms  between  legs,  4.  EXER- 
CISE. Fig.  62.  Count  two,  accenting  both  counts;  per- 
form smartly. 

Bend  trunk  forward  as  far  as  possible ;  swinging  arms  be- 
tween the  legs  (one)  ;  recover  starting  position  (two). 

Knees  remain  extended  rigidly  and  arms  are  brought  well 
up  in  the  recovery. 

Seventh  Exercise. 

I.  Arms  to  thrust,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Thrust  arms  forward, 
sideward,  upward  and  downward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Count 
eight,  accenting  the  odd  counts;  perform  snappily. 

Thrust  arms  forward  (one)  ;  recover  (two)  ;  thrust  side- 
ward (three) ;  recover  (four) ;  thrust  upward  (five)  ;  recover 
(six)  ;  thrust  downward  (seven)  ;  recover  (eight). 

Eighth  Exercise. 

i.  To  side  straddle,  arms  upward,  fingers  laced,  2.  HOP. 
3.  Bend  trunk  sideward,  right  and  left,  4.  EXERCISE. 
Fig.  63.  Count  four,  drawing  one  and  three;  perform 
slowly. 


o 


Fig.  63 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL        129 

Bend  trunk  sideward  right,  keeping  arms  stretched  well 
up,  left  hand  pressing  against  right  (one) ;  recover  (two) ; 
repeat  to  the  left  (three  and  four).  Knees  are  straight  and 
feet  flat  on  the  ground.  This  may  be  performed  in  two  counts 
also;  bending  to  the  right  at  one,  to  the  left  at  two. 

Ninth  Exercise. 

i.  Hands  on  shoulders,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Extend  right 
arm  upward,  and  left  arm  sideward;  recover  and  re- 
verse, 4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  64.  Count  four,  accenting 
one  and  three;  perform  smartly. 

Extend  right  upward,  palm  in,  and  left  arm  sideward,  palm 
down  (one)  ;  recover  starting  position  (two)  ;  extend  left 
upward  and  right  sideward  (three)  ;  recover  (four). 

Tenth  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Bend  trunk  backward, 
rotating  and  stretching  arms  sideward,  4.  EXERCISE. 
Count  two,  drawing  the  first  count;  recover  smartly. 

Bend  the  trunk  backward  and  stretch  arms,  rotating  them 
slowly,  palms  up,  to  the  side  horizontal  (one)  ;  recover  start- 
ing position  (two).  Trunk  should  be  stretched  and  chest  ele- 
vated in  first  movement. 

Eleventh  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Lunge  forward  right 
and  left,  swinging  arms  sideward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  65. 
Count  four,  accenting  all  counts;  perform  smartly. 

Lunge  forward  right  and  swing  arms  sideward  (one)  ;  re- 
cover starting  position  (two)  ;  repeat  with  the  left  leg  (three 
and  four).  Chest  is  elevated;  head  up. 

Twelfth  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

i.  Leaning  rest,  bend  and  extend  arms  and  recover, 
2.  EXERCISE.  Count  six,  accenting  one,  two,  five  and 
six,  and  drawing  three  and  four. 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL        133 

Bend  to  squatting  position,  hands  on  the  ground  (one) 
Fig.  36;  extend  legs  backward  to  leaning  rest  (two)  Fig.  53; 
bend  arms  (three)  Fig.  66.  Extend  arms  (four)  ;  recover 
squatting  position  (five) ;  recover  position  of  attention  (six). 

Breathing  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

i.  Stretching  arms  forward,  sideward  and  upward,  2. 
INHALE.  Lower  arms  sideward,  move  forward  and  re- 
cover, 3.  EXHALE.  Count  six,  drawing  all  counts  but 
the  last;  the  recovery  is  smart. 

The  inhalation  and  exhalation  and  the  arm  movements 
are  performed  slowly;  only  the  recovery  is  smart. 

D.  MARCHING  EXERCISES. 

1.  Repeat  last  lesson. 

2.  i.  Raise  knees,  rising  on  toes  of  opposite  leg,  2. 
MARCH.  3.  Quick  time,  4.  MARCH. 

3.  i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE,  3.  Bend  trunk  for- 
ward on  left  foot  and  extend  left  arm  downward,  touch- 
ing ground,  4.  EXERCISE.    Fig.  67.    Count  four;  per- 
form in  slow  cadence. 

Step  forward  with  the  left  foot,  bending  the  knee  and  body 
forward  and  extending  left  arm  downward  (one)  ;  recover 
as  the  right  foot  is  moved  forward  (two) ;  allow  two  paces 
to  elapse,  counting  (three)  on  the  left  foot  and  (four)  on 
the  right  before  repeating  the  exercise.  The  recovery  must 
be  complete,  the  chest  being  elevated  and  head  erected  as  the 
trunk  is  raised. 

E.  JUMPING  EXERCISES. 

1.  Repeat  last  lesson. 

2.  Preliminary  running  broad  jump.     Walk  six  paces 
energetically,  take  off  with  the  right  foot,  swinging  the 
arms  and  left  leg  forward  with  the  take  off  and  alight 
on  both  feet.    Repeat,  taking  off  with  the  left  foot. 

3.  Run  forward  slowly  12  paces,  and  take  off  with  the 
right  foot,  as  described  above.     Repeat,  taking  off  with 
the  left  foot. 

As  these  jumps  are  practiced  for  form  and  not  for 
distance,  they  should  be  of  moderate  length,  from  6  to  8 
feet. 


134       KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

F.  DOUBLE  TIMING  EXERCISES. 

1.  Repeat  last  lesson. 

2.  Double  time  sideward  to  the  left,  right  leg  crossing 
over  in  front  of  the  left,  2.  MARCH.  3.  Double  time,  4. 
MARCH. 

3.  Same  to  the  right,  left  crossing  over  in  front  of 
right. 

G.  RESTORATIVE  EXERCISES. 

1.  Perform  shoulder  and  trunk  movements. 

2.  Repeat  breathing  exercises  prescribed  in  this  lesson. 

H.     CONTESTS. 

1.  Cane  wrestling.     Par.   182. 

2.  Squatting  tug.     Par.  184. 

SIXTH  LESSON. 

(A)  DISCIPLINARY  EXERCISES,  as  in  previous  lessons. 

(B)  STARTING  POSITIONS,  as  in  previous  lessons. 

(C)  SETTING-UP  EXERCISES. 

First  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  to  thrust,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Thrust  arms  forward 
and  swing  sideward;  recover  and  thrust  arms  forward 
and  swing  downward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Count  eight,  ac- 
centing all  counts;  perform  smartly. 

Thrust  arms  forward  (one)  ;  swing  sideward  (two)  ;  swing 
forward  (three)  ;  recover  thrust  position  (four)  ;  thrust  po- 
sition (five) ;  swing  downward  (six) ;  swing  forward 
(seven) ;  recover  thrust  position  (eight). 

Second  Exercise. 

I.  To  the  side  straddle  position,  2.  HOP.  3.  On  toes, 
4.  RISE.  5.  HOP.  Count  two,  accenting  both  counts; 
perform  smartly.  The  hopping  is  performed  in  the 
straddle  position. 

Third  Exercise. 

i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Repeat  neck  bendings 
and  head  turnings. 


Fig.68 


Fig.  71 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL        139 

Fourth  Exercise. 

i.  To  side  straddle  position,  arms  sideward,  2.  HOP. 

3.  Turn  trunk,  right  and  left,   stretching  arms  upward, 

4.  EXERCISE.     Fig.  68.     Count  four,  drawing  out  the 
first  count;  recover  smartly. 

Turn  trunk  right  slowly,  stretching  arms  upward  slowly, 
palms  in  (one)  ;  recover  starting  position  (two)  ;  repeat  to 
the  left  (three  and  four). 

Fifth  Exercise. 

i.  To  the  squatting  position,  arms  sideward,  knuckles 
up,  2.  BEND.  3.  Rock  on  knees  and  circumduct  arms 
backward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  69.  Count  two,  accent- 
ing both  counts;  perform  smartly. 

This  exercise  consists  of  a  series  of  continuous  extensions 
and  flexions  of  the  knee  joints  accompanied  by  short  backward 
circumduction  of  the  arms.  The  chest  is  elevated  and  the 
head  is  erect. 

Sixth  Exercise. 

i.  To  the  side  straddle  position,  hands  on  hips,  2.  HOP. 
3.  Bend  trunk  forward,  extending  arms  downward;  re- 
cover starting  position,  and  rise  on  toes  and  extend  arms 
upward,  4.  EXERCISE.  Figs.  70  and  71.  Count  four, 
drawing  the  first  and  accenting  the  other  three  counts. 

Bend  trunk  forward,  extending  arms  downward,  finger  tips 
touching  ground,  palms  in  (one)  ;  recover  starting  position 
(two)  ;  extend  arms  upward  and  rise  on  toes  (three)  ;  recover 
starting  position  (four). 

Seventh  Exercise. 

From  attention : 

i.  Flex  shoulders  forward,  bend  trunk  backward, 
stretching  arms  sideward,  palms  up;  recover  in  reverse 
order,  2.  EXERCISE.  Figs.  49  and  72.  Count  four, 
drawing  out  the  first  three  counts  and  accenting  the 
fourth. 


f\j 

s 

I* 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL        141 

Flex  shoulders  forward  (one)  ;  stretch  arms  to  side  hori- 
zontal, palms  up  and  bend  trunk  backward  (two)  ;  resume 
flexed  position  (three) ;  recover  attention  smartly  (four). 
Chest  is  elevated  with  sideward  stretch. 

Eighth  Exercise. 

i.  To  the  side  straddle  position,  arms  sideward,  2. 
HOP.  3.  Bend  trunk  sideward  right  and  left,  stretching 
opposite  arm  upward  and  the  other  downward  to  the 
rear,  4.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  73.  Count  four,  drawing  the 
first  count;  recover  moderately  fast. 

Stretch  and  bend  the  trunk  to  the  right,  stretching  the  left 
arm,  palm  in,  up  and  close  to  the  head ;  the  right  arm,  palm 
down,  to  the  rear  (one)  ;  recover  the  starting  position  (two)  ; 
repeat  to  the  left  (three  and  four).  This  exercise  may  also 
be  performed  in  two  counts,  bending  to  the  right  at  one,  and 
to  the  left  at  two.  Legs  remain  extended,  back  is  arched  and 
chest  and  head  are  up. 

Ninth  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

i.  Flex  forearms  vertically;  raise  elbow  to  horizontal 
flexed  position;  fling  arms  sideward  and  recover  in  re- 
verse order,  2.  EXERCISE.  Figs.  43  and  51.  Count 
six,  accenting  all  counts;  perform  snappily. 

Flex  forearms  vertically  (one)  ;  raise  elbows  smartly  to 
horizontal  flexed  position  (two)  ;  fling  arms  sideward,  palms 
down,  (three) ;  resume  the  second  pose  (five)  ;  recover  at- 
tention (six). 

Tenth  Exercise, 

i.  Arms  forward-upward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Bend  trunk 
forward,  swinging  arms  downward,  Fig.  57,  bend  trunk 
backward,  swinging  arms  upward,  Fig.  42,  4.  EXER- 
CISE. Count  two,  drawing  out  both  counts;  perform 
moderately  slow. 

Bend  trunk  forward,  swinging  arms  downward  and  upward 
in  the  rear  (one)  ;  swing  arms  forward  and  upward  and  bend 
trunk  backward  (two). 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL        143 

Eleventh  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

I.  Swing  extended  leg  sideward  and  arms  sideward- 
upward,  2.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  74.  Count  four,  accent- 
ing all  counts;  perform  moderately  fast. 

Swing  right  leg  sideward,  arms  swinging  upward  laterally 
at  the  same  time  (one)  ;  recover  attention  (two)  ;  repeat 
with  left  leg  (three  and  four).  Legs  are  stiffly  extended  and 
elevated  as  high  as  possible;  chest  and  head  up. 

Twelfth  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

I.  Leaning  rest  with  legs  straddled;  bend  and  extend 
arms  and  recover,  2.  EXERCISE.  Count  six,  accent- 
ing one  and  two  and  five  and  six,  and  drawing  out  three 
and  four. 

Bend  to  squatting  position,  Fig.  36  (one)  ;  extend  straddled 
legs  backward  to  leaning  rest  (two)  ;  bend  arms,  Fig.  66 
(three)  ;  extend  arms  (four)  ;  recover  squatting  position 
(five) ;  recover  attention  (six). 

Breathing  Exercise. 

I.  Stretching  arms  forward,  sideward  and  upward,  ris- 
ing to  toes,  2.  INHALE.  Lower  arms  sideward,  move 
forward  and  recover  attention  smartly,  3.  EXHALE. 

D.    MARCHING  EXERCISES. 

1.  Repeat  last  lesson. 

2.  i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Bend  trunk  for- 
ward and  extend  arms  downward  on  left  foot,  Fig.  75 ; 
recover  hands  on  hips;  extend  arms  upward,  rising  on 
toes,   4.   MARCH.   5.   Quick  time,   6.   MARCH.    Count 
four;  perform  in  slow  cadence. 

Bend  trunk  forward  and  extend  arms  downward  as  left 
foot  is  planted  (one)  ;  raise  trunk  and  place  hands  on  hips  as 
right  foot  is  planted  (two)  ;  extend  arms  upward,  rising  on 
toes  as  left  foot  is  planted  (three) ;  and  recover  starting  posi- 
tion (four). 


146        KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

3.  i.  Arms  sideward,  palms  up,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Cir- 
cumduct  arms  backward  on  left  foot,  4.  EXERCISE.  5. 
Quick  time,  6.  MARCH.  Count,  accenting  both  counts. 

The  arms  are  circumducted  backward  in  a  12  inch  circle  on 
the  left  foot;  pause  on  the  right  foot.  This  exercise  may 
also  be  made  continuous.  Circle  arms  on  both  the  right  and 
left  foot.  Arms  must  be  in  the  plane  of  the  shoulders. 

E.  JUMPING  EXERCISES. 

1.  Repeat  last  lesson. 

2.  Hop,  step  and  jump  from  a  walking  start. 

3.  Same,  from  a  running  start. 

4.  Running  broad  jump  for  distance. 

F.  DOUBLE  TIMING  EXERCISES. 

1.  Repeat  last  lesson. 

2.  Raising  knees,  or  heels,  or  swinging  leg  forward. 

3.  Double  time  with  jumping  stride. 

The  stride  is  lengthened  and  the  body  thrust  from  the 
ground  as  high  as  possible. 

G.  RESTORATIVE  EXERCISES. 

1.  Slow,  relaxed  arm  raisings  laterally. 

2.  Repeat  breathing  exercises  of  this  lesson. 

H.    CONTESTS. 

1.  Leg  wrestling.     Par.  193. 

2.  Tug  Royal.    Par.   192. 


SECTION  X 

TRAINING  OF  THE  TRAINED 
SOLDIER 

PARAGRAPH 

How  this  course  differs  from  recruit  course  159 

Composition  of  lessons 160 

Instructors   cautioned   to  make   course  at- 
tractive      161 

Trained  soldiers'  conditioning  course  .        .  162 

Recreational  activities 163 

Example  lessons    .        .        .        .        .        .164-165 

159.  How  the  Course  Differs  from    the  Re- 
cruit Course.     This  course  differs  from  the  re- 
cruit course  in  that  it  is  less  for  the  purpose  of  in- 
struction but  more  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  the 
already  trained  man  fit  and  prepared  for  any  emer- 
gency. 

As  the  trained  soldier  is  kept  constantly  engaged 
in  more  or  less  strenuous  military  drills  and  as  he 
is  also  in  such  physical  condition  that  he  can  in- 
dulge in  the  more  strenuous  and  intensive  forms  of 
bodily  activities  with  benefit  to  himself,  the  time 
devoted  to  this  training  may  be  reduced  materially 
in  his  case. 

1 60.  Composition  and  Number  of  Lessons. 
Two  lessons  for  the  trained  soldier  are  given  here. 
They  are  to  serve  as  examples  to  instructors  who 

148 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL        149 

may  at  their  discretion  substitute  others,  so  long  as 
they  adhere  to  the  general  principles,  both  military 
and  physiological,  laid  down  in  this  manual. 

The  amount  and  degree  of  the  work  must  be 
fitted  to  the  capabilities  of  the  men  and  the  time 
allotted  to  this  training. 

161.  Instructors  Cautioned  to  Make  Drills 
Interesting.     As  a  rule  it  is  very  much  more  diffi- 
cult to  maintain  the  requisite  amount  of  enthusiasm 
amongst  the  trained  men  than  it  is  amongst  re- 
cruits.   Instructors  are  therefore  cautioned  to  avoid 
everything  that  is  likely  to  detract  from  the  spirit 
and  enthusiasm  of  the  training. 

The  drill  must  be  made  interesting  so  that  the 
men  enter  into  it  eagerly.  This  will  not  result, 
however,  if  work  required  of  them  is  not  varied 
enough  to  engage  the  mind  as  well  as  the  body. 

To  attempt  to  get  results  by  means  of  the  same 
exercises  constantly  repeated  is  impossible  with  the 
American  soldier.  Being  an  intelligent,  thinking  in- 
dividual, he  demands  to  be  treated  as  such.  He  will 
not  respond  unless  the  work  appeals  to  his  intelli- 
gence. 

Monotonous  drills  become  mere  mechanical  drudg- 
ery; they  are  worse  than  useless,  as  they  benefit 
the  men  but  little  physically,  and  detract  seriously 
from  their  discipline. 

162.  The    Trained     Soldiers'    Conditioning 
Course.     The  value  of  the  setting-up  exercises  in 
the  trained  soldiers'  training  is  chiefly  disciplinary, 
suppling  and  coordinating,  for  which  from  20  to 
30  minutes  per  day  is  sufficient. 

The    chief    object    in    the    conditioning    course 


ISO        KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

should  be  to  properly  prepare  the  men  for  the  hard- 
ships of  field  service. .  For  this  reason  the  major 
part  of  the  time  set  apart  for  this  training  should 
be  devoted  to  running,  jumping,  without  equipment 
in  the  beginning,  but  with  a  gradually  increasing 
amount  of  equipment  as  they  become  hardened  and 
fit,  and  to  the  rifle  exercises  and  bayonet  training. 

The  morning  period  should  be  devoted  to  about 
twenty  minutes  of  strenuous  setting-up  exercises. 

The  afternoon  period  should  embrace  the  vari- 
ous forms  of  conditioning  activities;  double  timing, 
jumping,  obstacle  course,  rifle  exercises,  and  bayo- 
net training. 

163.  Recreational  Activities.     These  must  be 
voluntary  to  be  truly  recreational.    The  men  should 
be  permitted  to  choose  the  activity  they  prefer  to 
indulge  in,  but  all  men  should  be  induced  to  engage 
in  some  form  of  activity. 

164.  Example  Lessons  for  Trained  Soldiers. 

First  Lesson. 

(A)  STARTING  POSITIONS,  as  in  recruit  instructions. 

(B)  SETTING-UP  EXERCISES. 

First  Exercise. 

I.  Arms  to  thrust,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Thrust  arms  forward 
(one)  swing  downward  (two)  ;  swing  forward;  (three)  ; 
recover  thrust  position  (four),  4.  EXERCISE.  Accent 
all  counts  and  perform  smartly. 

Second  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

I.  Flex  forearms  horizontally  (one),  Fig.  51;  fling 
arms  sideward  and  rise  on  toes  (two)  ;  recover  flexed 


152        KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

position    (three);   recover  attention    (four),  2.   EXER- 
CISE. 

Third  Exercise. 

i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Bend  neck  forward 
(one) ;  recover  (two) ;  bend  neck  backward  (three) ; 
recover  (four);  turn  head  right  (five);  recover 
(six) ;  turn  left  (seven) ;  recover  (eight),  4.  EXER- 
CISE. 

Perform  initial  movements  slowly;  recoveries  moder- 
ately fast. 

Fourth  Exercise. 

I.  To  side  straddle  position,  arms  sideward,  2.  HOP. 

3.  Turn  trunk  to  the  right,  stretching  arms  upward  and 
rising  on  toes   (one)  ;  recover  starting  position    (two)  ; 
same  to  the  left   (three  and  four). 

Perform  initial  movement  slowly  and  recover  smartly. 

Fifth  Exercise. 

I.  Arms  to  thrust,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Bend  knees  to  squat- 
ting position,  thrusting  arms  forward  (one)  ;  in  the 
squatting  position,  swing  arms  sideward  (two)  ;  swing 
arms  forward  (three);  recover  starting  position  (four), 

4.  EXERCISE. 
Perform  smartly. 

Sixth  Exercise. 

i.  To  side  straddle,  arms  sideward,  2.  HOP.  3.  Bend 
trunk  sideward  right,  stretching  left  arm  up  and  right 
arm  down,  Fig.  73  (one)  ;  recover  starting  position  (two) ; 
repeat  to  the  left  (three  and  four). 

Seventh  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

i.  Flex  forearms  vertically  (one)  ;  extend  arms  up- 
ward and  hop  (two)  ;  flex  arms  (three)  ;  recover  atten- 
tion (four),  2.  EXERCISE. 

Accent  the  second  and  third  counts. 


154        KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

Eighth  Exercise. 

i.  To  the  side  straddle,  hands  on  hips,  2.  HOP.  3.  Bend 
trunk  forward,  extend  arms  downward  (one) ;  Fig.  70, 
recover  starting  position  (two)  ;  extend  arms  upward, 
body  on  toes  (three)  ;  Fig.  71,  recover  starting  position 
(four),  4.  EXERCISE. 

Perform  smartly. 

Ninth  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

I.  Raise  arms  to  front  horizontal  and  extend  leg  for- 
ward, Fig.  52  (one)  ;  swing  arms  sideward,  palms  up, 
and  extend  leg  backward  (two)  ;  Fig.  43,  recover  initial 
position  (three)  ;  and  position  of  attention  (four),  .2. 
EXERCISE. 

Perform  smartly,  holding  each  position  momentarily. 

Tenth  Exercise. 

I.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Bend  trunk  backward, 
stretching  arms  forward  and  upward,  Fig.  42  (one)  ;  re- 
cover starting  position  (two),  4.  EXERCISE. 

Eleventh  Exercise. 

I.  Arms  to  thrust,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Move  shoulders  for- 
ward, Fig.  22  (one)  ;  raise  shoulders  (two)  ;  force  them 
back  (three);  recover  (four),  4.  EXERCISE. 

Perform  slowly. 

Twelfth  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

I.  Bend  knees  to  squatting  position,  Fig.  36  (one)  ; 
extend  legs  to  leaning  rest,  Fig.  53  (two)  ;  bend  arms, 
Fig.  66  (three);  extend  arms  (four);  recover  squatting 
position  (five)  and  attention  (six),  4.  EXERCISE. 

All  except  arms  movements  should  be  performed 
smartly. 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL        155 

Breathing  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

i.  Stretch  arms  forward,  sideward  and  upward,  2.  IN- 
HALE. Lower  arms  in  reverse  order,  2.  EXHALE. 

SECOND   LESSON 

(A)  STARTING  POSITIONS. 

(B)  SETTING-UP  EXERCISES. 

First  Exercise. 

From  attention: 

i.  Swing  arms  forward  (one)  ;  sideward  (two)  ;  up- 
ward (three)  ;  sideward  (four)  ;  forward  (five) ;  re- 
cover attention  (six),  2.  EXERCISE. 

Perform  quickly. 

Second  Exercise. 

i.  Hands  on  shoulders,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Rise  on  toes,  ex- 
tending arms  upward  (one)  ;  recover  (two) ;  perform 
smartly  and  quickly,  4.  EXERCISE. 

Third  Exercise. 

i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Repeat  neck  bendings 
and  turnings. 

Fourth  Exercise. 

i.  To  the  side  straddle  position,  arms  forward,  fingers 
laced,  2.  HOP.  3.  Turn  trunk  to  the  right  and  left  and 
swing  arms  sideward,  fingers  remaining  laced;  to  the 
right  (one)  ;  left  at  (two).  Fig.  61. 

Perform  briskly. 

Fifth  Exercise. 

i.  To  the  squatting  position,  arms  sideward,  palms  up, 
2.  BEND.  Fig.  69.  3.  Rock  on  knees  and  circumduct  arms 
backward. 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL        157 

Sixth  Exercise. 

I.  To  the  side  straddle  position,  arms  sideward,  2. 
HOP.  3.  Bend  trunk  sideward,  right,  swinging  left  arm 
upward,  and  right  to  the  rear,  Fig.  73  (one)  ;  bend  to 
the  left,  swinging  right  arm  up  and  left  to  the  rear 
(two),  4.  EXERCISE. 

Perform  slowly. 

Seventh  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  to  thrust,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Thrust  arms  forward 
(one)  ;  sideward  (three) ;  upward  (five)  ;  and  down- 
ward (seven)  ;  recovering  thrust  position  at  two,  four, 
six  and  eight,  4.  EXERCISE. 

Perform  briskly. 

Eighth  Exercise. 

i.  To  the  side  straddle  position,  arms  upward,  2.  HOP. 
3.  Bend  trunk  forward,  swinging  arms  downward,  be- 
tween legs,  Fig.  62  (one)  ;  swing  arms  upward  and  bend 
trunk  backward  (two),  4.  EXERCISE. 

Perform  moderately  fast. 

Ninth  Exercise. 

i.  Hands  on  hips,  2.  PLACE.  3.  Swing  right  leg  for- 
ward horizontally  and  extend  right  arm  forward,  Fig. 
76  (one) ;  recover  (two)  ;  left  leg  and  left  arm  forward 
(three);  recover  (four),  4.  EXERCISE. 

Perform  briskly. 

Tenth  Exercise. 

i.  Arms  forward,  2.  RAISE.  3.  Lunge  forward  right, 
swinging  arms  sideward,  Fig.  65  (one)  ;  recover  (two) ; 
same  with  left  (three  and  four),  4.  EXERCISE. 

Eleventh  Exorcise. 

From  attention: 

i.  Flex  shoulders  forward,  Fig.  49  (one)  ;  roll  shoul- 
ders backward  (two) ;  recover  attention  (three),  2.  EX- 
ERCISE. 


160       KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

Twelfth  Exercise. 

I.  To  the  squatting  position,  hands  on  the  ground,  2. 
BEND,  Fig.  36.  3.  Extend  legs  to  side  straddle  position, 
Fig.  77  (one)  ;  recover  squatting  position  (two). 

Perform  slowly. 

Breathing  Exercise. 
With  arm  stretchings  as  in  the  First  Lesson. 


SECTION  XI 
RIFLE  EXERCISES 

PARAGRAPH 

Object  of  rifle  exercises       ....     166-167 

Starting  position 168 

Exercises 169 

1 66.  The  Object  of  the  Rifle  Exercises  is  to 
develop  the  muscles  of  the  arms,   shoulders  and 
back  so  the  men  become  accustomed  to  the  weight 
of  the  piece  and  learn  to  wield  it  with  that  "handi- 
ness"  so  essential  to  its  successful  use  in  firing,  bay- 
onet training  and  in  the  manual  of  arms. 

When  these  exercises  are  combined  with  move- 
ments of  the  various  other  parts  of  the  body,  they 
serve  as  a  very  efficient,  though  a  rather  strenuous, 
method  of  all  around  development. 

167.  As  the  weight  of  the  piece  is  considerable, 
instructors  are  cautioned  to  be  reasonable  in  their 
demands,  particularly  when  handling  new  recruits. 

During  recruit  instruction  it  is  therefore  recom- 
mended that  only  those  exercises  described  here  be 
practiced. 

1 68.  Starting  Position.     All  the  exercises  start 
from  the  following  position,  Fig.  78: 

The  piece  is  held  in  the  low  extended  arm  horizontal,  the 
right  hand  grasping  the  small  of  the  stock  and  the  left  hand 
the  barrel  just  below  the  upper  hand.  The  knuckles  are  turned 

162 


164       KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

to  the  front  and  the  distance  between  the  hands  is  slightly 
greater  than  the  width  of  the  shoulders.  This  position  is 
assumed  at  the  command : 

i.  RIFLE  EXERCISE.  2.  To  the  starting  position,  3. 
RAISE. 

Being  at  an  order,  the  piece  is  brought  to  the  position  of 
port  arms  smartly  and  then  lowered  to  the  low  horizontal  posi- 
tion described  above. 

To  resume  the  position  of  attention,  command: 
i.  Order,  2.  ARMS. 

The  position  of  port  arms  is  assumed  and  .the  piece  brought 
to  the  order  from  that  position. 

First  Exercise. 

i.  Raise  piece  to  front  extended  arm  horizontal,  2. 
EXERCISE.  Fig.  79.  Count  two. 

The  piece  is  brought  to  the  front  horizontal,  arms  straight, 
knuckles  up  (one)  ;  recover  starting  position  (two). 

Second  Exercise. 

169.    Exercises. 

• 

i.  Raise  piece  to  high'extended  arm  horizontal,  2.  EX- 
ERCISE. Fig.  80.  Count  two. 

The  piece  is  raised  over-head,  arms  extended  (one)  ;  re- 
cover starting  position  (two). 

Third  Exercise. 

i.  Raise  piece  to  right  and  left  side  horizontal,  2.  EX- 
ERCISE. Fig.  81.  Count  two. 

The  piece  is  raised  to  the  right  side  horizontal,  right  arm 
extended,  left  arm  bent  (one) ;  recover  starting  position 
(two) ;  repeat  to  the  left  (three  and  four). 


Fig.  80 


166       KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 


Fourth  Exercise. 

I.  Raise  piece  to  front  perpendicular,  right  (left)  hand 
up,  2.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  82.  Count  two. 

The  piece  is  brought  to  the  front  perpendicular,  right  hand 
up,  arms  extended  (one)  ;  recover  starting  position  (two)  ; 
repeat  with  left  hand  up  (three  and  four). 

Fifth  Exercise. 

i.  Raise  piece  to  front  bent  arm  horizontal,  waist  high, 
2.  EXERCISE.  Count  two. 

The  forearms  are  flexed  until  the  piece  is  horizontal  and 
close  to  the  body  fore-arms  horizontal,  (one)  ;  recover  start- 
ing position  (two).  Perform  smartly. 

Sixth  Exercise. 

I.  Raise  piece  to  front  bent  arm  horizontal,  shoulder 
high,  -2.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  83.  Count  two. 

The  piece  is  raised  as  in  the  Fifth  Exercise  to  the  height 
of  the  shoulders  (one) ;  recover  starting  position  (two). 

Seventh  Exercise. 

I.  Raise  piece  to  rear  bent  arm  horizontal,  on  shoul- 
ders, 2.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  84.  Count  two. 

The  piece  is  raised  overhead  with  extended  arms  and 
lowered  to  the  shoulders  (one)  ;  recover  the  starting  posi- 
tion by  extending  the  piece  overhead  and  lowering  it  for- 
ward. 

Eighth  Exercise. 

i.  Raise  piece  to  right  and  left  high  side  perpendicu- 
lar, right  (left)  arm  up,  2.  EXERCISE.  Fig.  85.  Count 
four. 

The  piece  is  raised  to  the  high  side  perpendicular  on  the 
right,  right  arm  up,  left  arm  across  body  (one) ;  recover  start- 
ing position  (two) ;  repeat  on  the  left  with  left  hand  up  at 
(three  and  four). 


170       KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 


Ninth  Exercise. 

I.  Raise  piece  to  front  bent  arm  horizontal,  shoulder 
high,  and  extend  upward,  2.  EXERCISE.  Count  four. 

The  piece  is  brought  to  the  bent  arm  horizontal  at  the 
shoulders  (one)  ;  extended  upward  (two)  ;  to  the  shoulders 
(three)  ;  recover  starting  position  (four). 

Tenth  Exercise. 

I.  Raise  piece  to  front  bent  arm  horizontal,  shoulder 
high,  and  extend  forward,  2.  EXERCISE.  Figs.  80  and 
83.  Count  four. 

Same  as  in  the  Tenth  Lesson,  extending  forward. 

Eleventh  Exercise. 

i.  Raise  piece  to  extended  high  horizontal  and  lower 
to  shoulders,  2.  EXERCISE.  Figs.  83  and  84.  Count 
four. 

The  piece  is  brought  to  the  overhead  horizontal,  arms  ex- 
tended (one)  ;  lowered  to  the  shoulders  (two)  ;  extended 
overhead  (three)  ;  recover  starting  position  (four). 

Twelfth  Exercise. 

I.  Raise  piece  to  front  extended  arm  horizontal  and 
flex  to  right  side  horizontal,  2.  EXERCISE.  Figs.  79 
and  81.  Count  four. 

The  piece  is  brought  to  the  front  horizontal,  arms  extended 
(one)  ;  the  left  arm  is  flexed  and  the  piece  moved  to  the 
right  side  horizontal  (two)  ;  resume  the  front  horizontal 
(three) ;  recover  starting  position  (four). 

Thirteenth  Exercise. 

I.  Raise  the  piece  to  right  side  horizontal,  extend  to 
the  high  extended  arm  horizontal,  lower  to  the  left  side 
horizontal  and  recover,  2.  EXERCISE.  Count  four. 


172        KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

The  piece  is  raised  to  the  right  side  horizontal  (one) ;  to  the 
high  horizontal  (two)  ;  to  the  left  side  horizontal  (three)  ; 
recover  starting  position  (four).  Repeat  to  the  left,  counting 
from  five  to  eight. 

Fourteenth  Exercise. 

I.  Raise  piece  to  high  extended  arm  horizontal,  2. 
RAISE.  3.  Swing  piece  to  the  right  and  left,  4.  EXER- 
CISE. Count  four. 

From  the  high  horizontal  the  piece  is  swung  in  a  circle, 
parallel  with  the  front  of  the  body,  downward  to  the  right 
and  upward  on  the  left  to  the  starting  position  (one)  ;  pause 
at  (two)  ;  repeat,  swinging  downward  on  the  left  and  upward 
on  the  right  at  (three  and  four). 


eo 


SECTION  XII 
CORRECTIVE  EXERCISES 

PARAGRAPH 

Minor  defects  remedied  by  regular  training     170-171 

Cooperation  with  instructor  necessary  .         .  172 

Drooping  head 173 

Round  and  stooped  shoulders       .        .        .  174 

Weak  back 175 

Weak   abdominal   muscles     ....  176 

To  increase  depth  and  width  of  chest       .  177 

Flat   feet 178 

170.  Based  upon  the  theory  that  if  an  equal 
amount  of  exertion  is  required  of  all  parts  of  the 
body,  the  weaker  ones  will  increase  in  strength  much 
more  rapidly  than  the  stronger  ones  will,  thus  con- 
stantly diminishing  the  difference  between  the  two 
until  the  difference  ceases  to  be  marked  or  material, 
minor  physical  defects  can  be  readily  overcome  by 
the  ordinary  physical  drills,  providing  those  drills 
be  harmonious,  that  is,  if  all  corresponding  parts 
of  the  body  are  employed  equally. 

171.  This  is  particularly  true  in  the  training  of 
younger  persons.    When  defects  are  of  long  stand- 
ing, due  to  faulty  posture,  occupation  or  the  result 
of  previous  illness,  special  instruction  may  be  nec- 
essary, but  this  must  not  interfere  with  the  man's 
participation  in  the  regular  physical  drills,  unless 

174 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL        175 

it  is  found  that  he  is  unable  to  participate  in  them ; 
such  cases  should  be  treated  specially. 

172.  To   insure   success,    instructors   must   en- 
deavor to  enlist  the  cooperation  of  the  men  they  are 
treating,  for  without  it  little  will  be  accomplished 
in  aggravated  cases. 

Only  the  most  common  physical  defects  and  cor- 
responding corrective  exercises  are  noted  here. 

173.  Drooping   Head.     Exercise   the   muscles 
of  the  neck,  by  bending,  turning  and  circling  the 
head,  muscles  moderately  tense.     See  Figs.  17,  18 
and  27. 

Cultivate  the  habit  of  keeping  the  chin  elevated 
and  eyes  directed  upward. 

174.  Round  or  Stooped  Shoulders. 

1.  Stretch  arms  sideward   from  the  front  to  the  side 
horizontal,  turning  palms  up  as  the  arms  move  sideward ; 
pause  in  the  side  horizontal,  stretching  the  arms  well  out 
in   the   plane   of   the   shoulder.     Inhale   and   elevate   the 
chest  with  the  sideward  movement ;  exhale  and  relax  with 
the  forward  movement. 

2.  Swing  arms  sideward  from  the  front  to  the  side  hori- 
zontal, palms  down,  muscles  relaxed. 

3.  Circle  arms  upward  and  backward  slowly  from  the 
front  horizontal  and  back  to  that  position,  muscles  mod- 
erately tense.     Inhale  with  the  upward  and  exhale  with 
the  backward-downward  movement. 

4.  Move  shoulders  forward,  muscles  relaxed,  then  raise 
them  in  that  position;  force  them  back  in  that  elevated 
position  slowly,  with  muscles  tense,  until  they  are  in  the 
proper  plane,  inhaling  at  the  same  time;  pause  and  then 
relax  to  the  normal  position,  exhaling  at  the  same  time. 

175.  Weak  Back. 

I.  Bend  trunk  forward,  with  back  arched.     Fig.  30. 


176        KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

2.  Bend  trunk   forward,  with   back   arched,   stretching 
arms  sideward  from  the  front  horizontal.     Fig.  30. 

3.  Bend  trunk  sideward,  without  and  with  arm  move- 
ments.    Figs.  23,  32  and  40. 

4.  Lie  on  floor,  face  down,  and  raise  head  and  shoul- 
ders or  the  extended  leg  or  legs  backward-upward. 

176.  Weak  Abdominal  Muscles. 

1.  Bend  trunk  backward,  without  and  with  arm  stretch- 
ings.    Figs.  33,  42  and  72. 

2.  Turn  trunk  right  and  left.     Figs.  28  and  42. 

3.  Lie  on  floor,  face  up,  raise  extended  leg  or  legs  to 
the   perpendicular;    raise   head   and   shoulders   from   the 
floor,  or  raise  trunk  to  sitting  position. 

177.  To  Increase  Width  and  Depth  of  Chest. 

1.  Arm  stretchings  upward  from  front  horizontal,  mus- 
cles moderately  tense,  elevating  the  chest  and  inflating 
the  lungs. 

2.  Arm  stretchings   sideward   and   then   upward   from 
front  horizontal,  elevating  and  inhaling  as  in   I. 

3.  Stretch  arms  upward  and  downward  laterally  from 
attention,  allowing  arms,  palms  to  the  front,  to  cross  over- 
head. 

4.  Circle  arms  upward  and  backward   from  the  front 
horizontal,  muscles  moderately  tense. 

178.  Flat  Feet.     The  following  exercises  have 
been  recommended  by  the  Medical  Corps  of   the 
Army  for  the  purpose  of  developing  the  muscles  of 
the  feet  and  legs,  improving  foot  disabilities  and 
preparing  normal  feet  for  more  strenuous  duty. 

They  should  be  included  in  the  setting-up  exer- 
cises, and  made  obligatory  with  those  suffering  from 
flat-footedness  and  those  predisposed  to  that  condi- 
tion. 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL        177 

1.  Stand  with  feet  parallel  and  rise  on  the  outer  bor- 
ders of  the  feet,  without  twisting  the  legs  or  bending  the 
knees. 

2.  With  feet  parallel,  walk  on  outer  borders. 

3.  Stand   with    feet    parallel,    or    slightly   toed-in,    and 
circumduct    hips    outward    (twist    legs),    keeping    knees 
straight  and  the  great  toes  in  contact  with  the  ground, 
heels  raised,  pressing  ankle  joints  out. 

4.  Stand  with  feet  parallel;  rise  on  toes;  descend,  let- 
ting only  the  outer  borders  of  the  feet  touch  the  ground ; 
flatten  the  feet  on  the  ground. 

5.  With  feet  parallel,  curl  toes  under  feet  and  relax. 

6.  Cultivate   the   habit   of  standing  and  walking  with 
feet  parallel,  and  extending  knees  fully. 


SECTION  XIII 
CONTESTS  AND  GAMES 

PARAGRAPH 

The  object  of  these  contests       .         .         .     179-181 

Individual  contests 182-193 

Group  contests  and  games    ....     194-208 

179.  In  all  of  the  individual  contests  the  men 
are  brought  into  personal  contact;  they  are  per- 
sonal encounters  which,  aside  from  their  physical 
value,  bring  out  and  develop  aggressiveness,  agility, 
quickness  of  perception,  confidence  and  morale  and 
do  it  in  a  more  or  less  recreational  way,  thus  giving 
the  men  an  opportunity  to  relax  from  the  sterner 
and  more  serious  aspects  of  their  training. 

1 80.  In  contests  in  which  superiority  is  deter- 
mined by  skill  and  dexterity  few  if  any  restrictions 
need  be  placed  upon  the  efforts  of  the  contestants; 
in   those   contests,    however,   that   are   determined 
chiefly  by  strength  and  endurance  it  is  well  to  set 
the  efforts  a  limit  in  order  to  avoid  their  being 
drawn  out  to  the  point  of  exhaustion.     The  men 
should  be  paired  off  according  to  their  weight,  agil- 
ity or  strength  in  order  to  equalize  the  chances. 

181.  Two  of  these  contests  should  be  included 
in  each  lesson,  except  the  first  two.     Contests  that 
require  skill  and  agility  should  alternate  with  those 
requiring  strength  and  endurance. 

178 


^^^HHHM^  ••  A^BIj^HHPJ^ 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL        181 

182.  Cane    Wrestling.     Fig.    86.     The    cane 
used  should  be  about  an  inch  in  diameter,  of  hard 
wood,  three  feet  long;  the  ends  to  be  rounded  off. 

The  contestants  grasp  one  end  of  the  cane  with 
the  right  hand,  knuckles  down;  the  left  hand, 
knuckles  up,  grasps  it  close  to  the  opponent's  right 
hand. 

The  object  is  to  wrest  the  cane  from  the  opponent 
by  twisting  it  out  of  his  hands.  The  loss  of  grip 
with  either  hand  terminates  the  bout.  This  con- 
test brings  about  all  the  muscles  of  the  body  into 
play,  but  principally  those  of  the  shoulders,  arms, 
upper  back  and  chest. 

183.  Pole  Twisting.     Fig.  87.    The  contestants 
grasp  a  short  pole,  about  four  feet  long  and  two 
inches  in  diameter,  with  both  hands,  knuckles  up, 
right  hand  outside  the  opponent's  left,  with  arms 
extended  overhead.    The  object  is  to  make  the  pole 
revolve  in  the  opponent's  hand  by  forcing  it  down. 

The  muscles  of  the-  forearms,  shoulders,  chest 
and  upper  back  and  abdomen  are  employed  in  this 
contest. 

184.  Squatting  Tug.     Fig.   88.     Contestants 
sit  on  the  ground  facing  each  other,  legs  extended, 
soles  of  feet  in  contact,  and  grasp  a  pole,  such  as  is 
used  in  the  pole  twisting,  in  their  hands,  knuckles 
up,  right  hands  outside. 

The  object  is  to  pull  the  opponent  to  his  feet. 
Arm,  shoulder,  chest,  back,  abdominal  and  leg  mus- 
cles are  used  in  this  contest. 

185.  Single  Pole  Pushing.     Fig.  89.    The  con- 
testants grasp  a  pole  about  six  feet  long  and  two 
inches  in  diameter,  with  both  hands ;  the  end  of  the 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL        183 

pole  is  under  the  right  arm  and  shoulder ;  and  brace 
themselves. 

The  object  is  to  push  the  opponent  backward. 
This  contest  should  be  practiced  with  the  right  and 
left  foot  forward. 

The  extensor  muscles  of  the  legs  and  all  of  the 
trunk  and  arm  muscles  are  employed. 

1 86.  Double   Pole   Pushing.     Fig.   90.     This 
contest  is  similar  to  the  single  pole  pushing  except 
that  two  poles  are  used  instead  of  one. 

187.  Individual  Tug-of-War.     Fig.  91.     The 
contestants  face  each  other,  each  holding  the  end  of 
an  eight  foot,  half  inch  rope  in  both  hands,  feet 
separated,  left  foot  in  front. 

At  "Go"  they  turn  about,  raising  the  rope  over 
the  left  shoulder  and  endeavor  to  pull  the  opponent 
away  with  them. 

This  should  be  practiced  with  either  foot  and 
hand  forward. 

Most  of  the  muscles  of  the  arms  and  trunk  and 
the  extensor  muscles  of  the  legs  are  brought  into 
action. 

1 88.  One  Arm  Wrestle.     Fig.  92.     The  con- 
testants face  each  other,  grasping  right  hands,  feet 
separated,    right    foot    forward,    with   the   outside 
borders  of  the  right  feet  in  contact. 

The  object  is  to  endeavor  to  make  the  opponent 
raise  his  rear  foot  or  change  the  one  in  front,  by 
pulling,  twisting  or  pushing  his  right  arm. 

This  should  be  practiced  with  either  foot  and 
hand. 

The  muscles  of  the  right  arm  and  side  and  the 
leg  muscles  are  brought  into  action. 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL        185 

189.  The  "Cock  Fight."     Fig.  93.     Contest- 
ants, hop  on  one  foot,  arms  folded  tightly  over  the 
chest. 

The  object  is  to  make  the  opponent  change  from 
one  foot  to  the  other,  or  bring  both  feet  in  contact 
with  the  ground,  by  butting  him  with  the  fleshy 
part  of  the  shoulder.  This  should  be  practiced  with 
either  foot. 

The  leg  muscles  of  the  leg  used  are  brought  into 
action. 

190.  One-Legged  Tug.     Fig.  94.    Contestants, 
hopping  on  one  foot,  grasp  hands  and  endeavor  to 
pull   opponent   forward   by  hopping  on   one   foot. 
This  should  be  practiced  with  either  foot.    Bringing 
the  raised  foot  in  contact  with  the  ground  ends  the 
bout. 

191.  The  "Cock  Fighters'  Siege."     Fig.  95. 
One  contestant  stands  with  one  foot  in  a  fifteen- 
inch  circle,  the  other  foot  outside  of  it,  arms  folded. 
Two  other  contestants,  hopping  as  in  189,  endeavor 
to  butt  him  out  of  the  circle  or  make  him  raise  the 
foot  in  the  circle.'    The  one  occupying  the  circle 
in  the  meantime  endeavors  to  overcome  the  attack- 
ers by  butting  them  with  his  shoulder,  or  by  dodging 
them  in  order  to  make  them  change  feet  or  bring 
some  other  portion  of  their  body,  except  the  foot 
they  are  hopping  on,  in  contact  with  the  ground. 
As  soon  as  one  of  the  attackers  is  put  out  another 
takes  his  place;  the  one  who  succeeds  in  defeating 
the  one  holding  the  circle  displaces  him. 

The  leg  muscles  are  brought  into  action  in  this 
contest. 

192.  Tug  Royal.     Fig.  96.    Three  or  four  con- 


i88        KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

testants  face  each  other,  grasping  hands,  about  a 
circle  drawn  on  the  ground  from  three  to  three  and 
a  half  feet  in  diameter. 

The  object  is  to  make  one  of  this  number  step 
into  the  circle. 

About  every  muscle  in  the  body  is  brought  into 
play  in  this  contest. 

193.  Leg  Wrestling.     Fig.  97.    Contestants  lie 
upon  the  ground  on  their  backs,  right  shoulders  in 
close  contact,  right  elbows  closely  locked.     Each 
then  swings  his  right  leg  upward  a  given  number 
of  times;  when  the  last  upper  swing  occurs  the  legs 
are  locked  and  the  object  is  to  press  the  opponent's 
leg  down  until  he  rolls  over.     The  arms  must  be 
kept  tightly  locked.     This  should  be  practiced  with 
either  leg. 

The  leg  and  the  abdominal  muscles  are  brought 
into  action  in  this  contest. 

GROUP  CONTESTS  AND  GAMES 

194.  Group  contests  and  games  in  which  a  large 
number  may  be  employed   simultaneously  and   in 
which  the  attention  and  interest  of  all  those  par- 
ticipating must  constantly  be  on  the  alert,  should 
always  be  given  the  preference  over  those  in  which 
only  a  few  are  engaged  at  the  same  time  and  which 
do  not  require  the  alertness  of   mind   mentioned 
above. 

The  spirit  of  rivalry  between  the  groups  must  be 
incited  and  kept  alive  if  the  full  value  of  these 
games  and  contests  are  to  be  obtained. 

195.  Group  contests  may  consist  of  the  usual 


IQO        KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

athletic  games,  providing  the  time  for  them  is  avail- 
able, such  as  baseball,  basketball,  soccer,  football, 
tug-of-war,  relay  races,  etc.  Or  they  may  consist 
of  the  usual  field  and  track  events,  with  the  differ- 
ence that  the  performance  of  every  individual  mem- 
ber of  the  group  shall  be  counted  in  the  final  score ; 
be  cumulative,  in  other  words. 

197.  For   recreational  purposes  games  of   the 
character  of  the  following  should  be  encouraged. 

198.  Bear  in  the  Pit.     The  players,  about  six- 
teen men,   form  a  circle,  grasping  hands;  one  is 
chosen  as  the  bear  and  takes  his  place  in  the  center 
of  the  circle.     His  endeavor  is  to  break  through 
this  chain  of  hands,  or  get  through  it  by  going  un- 
der or  over  the  arms  of  his  fellows.    If  he  succeeds 
in   breaking   through   he   is   chased   by   the   other 
players  and  the  one  who  succeeds  in  capturing  him 
in  turn  becomes  the  bear. 

Skill,   outwitting  the  other  players  by   feinting 
false  attacks,  etc.,  rather  than  force  should  be  used. 

199.  Bull  in  the  Ring.     The  players  form  a 
circle  similar  to  that  described  in  198;  the  bull  in 
the  circle  endeavors  to  break  through  the  ring  by 
forcing  the  grip  between  two  players.     If  he  suc- 
ceeds ke  i.i  chased  by  the  two  whose  hands  he 
parted;  the  one  capturing  him  then  becomes  the 
bull. 

200.  The  Red  Ace.     To  be  played  by  from 
twenty  to  thirty  players  who  are  equally  divided  and 
who  stand  behind  two  parallel  lines,  drawn  upon 
the  ground  with  an  intervening  space  of  from  fif- 
teen to  twenty  yards  between  them.     The  red  ace 
takes  his  position  in  the  center  of  this  space.     At 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL        191 

the  signal  "red  ace,"  given  by  the  player  in  the 
center,  the  players  rush  over  from  one  line  to  the 
other,  the  "red  ace"  endeavoring  to  touch  as  many 
as  he  can  during  the  rush.  Those  touched  or  tagged 
become  "red  aces"  and  join  the  original  "red  ace" 
in  the  center  till  all  have  become  "red  aces." 

To  develop  alertness  the  original  "red  ace,"  who 
alone  continues  to  give  the  signal  for  the  rush,  may 
resort  to  any  means  that  will  tempt  the  players  be- 
hind the  line  to  make  a  false  start  and  cross  the 
line.  For  this  purpose  he  may  call  out  "black  ace," 
"blue  ace,"  or  any  other  color  he  chooses,  or  he  may 
make  a  false  start.  All  those  drawn  over  the  line 
by  these  tactics  join  the  "red  ace"  in  the  center. 

20 1.  The  Flag  Rescue.     To  be  played  by  from 
fifteen   to   twenty  players.      The  players    form   a 
loose  circle  about  a  player  in  the  center.     All  play- 
ers are  numbered.    The  center  man  is  in  possession 
of  a  stick  about  three  feet  long  which  he  holds  in 
a  perpendicular  position,  with  his  index  finger,  in 
the  center  of  the  circle.     As  he  releases  his  finger 
he  calls  out  a  number  and  the  player  whose  num- 
ber is  called  must  rush  forward  and  endeavor  to 
catch  the  stick  before  it  falls  to  the  ground.     The 
one  succeeding  in  doing  this  then  exchanges  places 
with  the  player  in  the  center.     The  game  is  kept 
alive  by  mixing  up  the  numbers  as  much  as  pos- 
sible and  bringing  the  stick  back  to  the  perpendicu- 
lar as  quickly  as  possible. 

202.  Cleaning  the  Trench.     May  be  played  by 
any  number.    The  players  take  position,  facing  each 
other  on  either  side  of  a  line  drawn  upon  the  ground. 
At  the  signal  "Over  the  top,"  given  by  one  of  the 


192        KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

players  who  acts  as  referee,  the  players  endeavor 
to  pull  those  opposed  to  them  over  to  their  side  of 
the  line;  holds  on  any  part  of  the  body  are  per- 
missible, and  as  many  as  choose  may  come  to  the 
rescue  of  any  player.  A  player  is  captured  and 
joins  his  captors  when  his  whole  body  is  drawn 
over  the  line. 

203.  Third  Relief  (Three  Deep).     This  may 
be  played  by  from  twenty  to  forty  men.    The  play- 
ers form  in  a  circle  facing  in  two  deep,  each  pair 
in  file,  with  a  distance  of  about  two  feet  between 
files  and  an  interval  of  from  three  to  four  feet  be- 
tween the  pairs.    One  player  is  the  third  relief  and 
another  the  sergeant  of  the  guard  or  chaser. 

The  sergeant  chases  the  third  relief  about  the  out- 
side of  the  circle.  The  third  relief  may  "post"  him- 
self in  front  of  either  of  any  of  the  two  players 
standing  in  file;  the  one  immediately  behind  him 
at  once  becomes  the  third  relief,  and  in  order  to 
avoid  the  sergeant  he  must  endeavor  to  post  him- 
self before  the  sergeant  can  touch  him.  Should  the 
sergeant  succeed  in  doing  this  the  third  relief  be- 
comes the  sergeant  and  the  sergeant  the  third  re- 
lief. 

204.  Swat   the   Kaiser.     This   game  may  be 
played  by  from  twenty  to  thirty  men.    The  players 
form  a  closed  circle  with  hands,  palms  up,  behind 
them.     The  "swatter,"  armed  with  a  doubled  belt, 
metal  ends  in  his  hand,  passes  around  the  outside 
of  the  circle,  crying,  "On  to  Berlin,  on  to  Berlin;" 
as  he  does  so  he  secretively  deposits  the  belt  in  the 
hands  of  a  player  in  the  circle,  but  keeps  on  crying 
out  as  before,  passing  on  until  he  is  ready  to  give 


KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL        193 

the  signal,  "Swat  the  Kaiser."  At  that  signal  the 
one  who  has  received  the  belt  begins  to  belabor  the 
player  on  his  right,  who,  in  order  to  avoid  being 
"swatted,"  runs  about  the  circle,  chased  by  the 
swatter  until  he  reaches  his  former  place,  the  orig- 
inal swatter  filling  the  place  of  the  active  one. 

205.  Do   This,   Do   That.     This  may  be   in- 
dulged in  by  any  number.    All  players  face  a  leader 
or  instructor  and  imitate  any  movement  he  may  per- 
form when  the  caution  "Do  this"  precedes  the  move- 
ment but  refraining  from  imitating  the  movement 
when  the  cautionary  command  is  "Do  that."     Any 
player  caught  off  his  guard,  by  imitating  a  "Do 
that"  movement  twice,  is  out,  and  assumes  an  "at 
ease"  position  until  the  game  is  completed,  which 
occurs  when  only  one  survivor  is  left. 

The  object  of  this  game  is  to  teach  quickness  of 
perception  and  control. 

206.  Dodge  Ball.     Any  number  of  men  may 
play  this  game.     The  players  are  equally  divided, 
one  half   forming  a  loose  circle  great  enough  in 
diameter  to  accommodate  the  other  half,  who  are 
scattered  about  the  interior  of  the  circle  with  suffi- 
cient room  to  move  about  freely. 

The  players  forming  the  circle  are  supplied  with 
a  basketball  with  which  they  try  to  hit  one  of  the 
center  men,  who  endeavor  to  dodge  the  thrown  ball 
in  any  way  they  see  fit.  As  soon  as  a  man  is  hit 
he  joins  the  circle  men  and  the  game  continues  till 
but  one  man  is  left.  When  played  by  a  large  num- 
ber two  balls  may  be  used.  In  case  two  men  are 
hit  in  a  single  throw,  only  the  first  is  counted  out. 


194        KOEHLER'S  WEST  POINT  MANUAL 

207.  Medicine  Ball  Race.     This  is  played  by 
teams  composed  of  from  eight  to  sixteen  men. 

The  players  of  each  team  stand  straddle-legged 
in  a  column  of  files,  with  an  interval  of  about  four 
or  five  feet  between  the  files.  Every  man's  station 
is  marked  on  the  ground.  At  a  signal  from  the 
referee  or  starter  the  first  man  starts  the  ball  rolling 
backward  between  his  legs,  each  member  of  the 
team  endeavoring  to  add  to  the  speed  of  the  ball 
by  striking  it  with  the  hands  as  it  is  passing  through 
his  legs.  When  the  ball  reaches  the  last  man  he 
picks  it  up,  runs  forward  to  the  starting  point  with 
it  and  starts  the  ball  rolling  again,  each  member 
of  the  team  moving  back  one  station  as  the  ball 
is  being  brought  up  to  the  starting  point.  This  is 
repeated  until  the  original  leader  brings  the  ball 
back  to  the  starting  point. 

If  no  medicine  ball  is  available  one  may  be  im- 
provised by  stuffing  the  outer  skin  of  a  basketball 
tightly  and  lacing  it. 

The  game  may  also  be  played  by  passing  any 
object  from  hand  to  hand.  In  that  case  the  files 
must  be  close  enough  to  facilitate  the  passing. 

208.  These  are  but  a  few  of  the  games  that  lend 
themselves  to  the  purpose  for  which  they  are  in- 
tended ;  others  of  a  smiliar  character  may  be  added 
or  substituted,  always,  however,   with  a  view  to 
making  them  recreational,  instructive  and  entertain- 
ing. 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW 


AN     INITIAL     FINE     OF    25     CENTS 

WILL  BE  ASSESSED  F*OR  FAILURE  TO  RETURN 
THIS  BOOK  ON  THE  DATE  DUE.  THE  PENALTY 
WILL  INCREASE  TO  SO  CENTS  ON  THE  FOURTH 
DAY  AND  TO  $1.OO  ON  THE  SEVENTH  DAY 
OVERDUE. 


DEC  161932 
ftl*    * 


20  1937 

AKK     2    1939 


DEC   3.1944 
JUN  17    3 


JUN 


REC'D 

|»»  & 
163 


REC'D  LD 

JUL  1 6 1962 
EB  1  9  2002 


LI)  21 


1981 


388284 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


